Run for the Sun
by OneMillionReasons
Summary: Arc 2 begins in chapter 9! What does the Bender want with Tyler and can Tyler get to Ho-oh to recover himself before it's too late? TF Fic, OCxOC, Rated for violence. Regular summary on chapter 1.
1. The Extinguished Candle

Summary: After transforming into an eevee, I have to play the most dangerous game and I have no idea what to do. Someone doesn't even want me to exist. TF, OCxOC, GSC Canon. Rated for non-explicit violence and murder, PG highly recommended for younger kids.

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**Chapter 1: The Extinguished Candle**

***

The chill breeze danced with my fur. The trees vanished in blurs of red and gold. My scraped paws begged me to stop. But I couldn't. My beating chest told me otherwise with threats to burst wide open. What I wouldn't give to be in my own body right now.

How ironic. That wasn't how I felt a few days ago.

---

The hitmonchan's arm fell once. My opponent was pushing against my pin. My elbows were burning as I continued to press against him. The fighting pokemon counted another second. His arms found my forearms and gripped them. Three seconds. He was pushing my arms back. I gritted my teeth and tried to put more pressure. Four seconds. His shoulders slowly rose. I looked to the hitmonchan. His arm couldn't be moving slower than it was now.

The bell rang. I let up and sat back, sighing in relief. The referee walked over to the scorekeepers next to the scoreboard that now showed a score of three to three. I walked to the center where I met my opponent's hand shake. The hitmonchan reached forward and lifted my arm into the air.

"We award Tyler Young the time advantage," the ref declared from the score desk. "Violet City High School will be moving on to the regional semi finals of the Johto Region Wrestling Association!"

The roar of the crowd was deafened as I walked down the hall, trying to keep my messy blond hair out of my eyes and adjusting my glasses on my soaked face. I felt a hand pat me on the back and turned around to see the blue eyes of Carlos gazing back at me from under his curly black locks.

"I can't believe it, Tyler," he said. "One more victory and we'll be leading Violet High all the way!"

I couldn't help but grin. It had been a long road, but we were really going to do it. We were going to fulfill the promise we made four years ago and bring home the world cup for Violet City. We had to. After all, it was our senior year, so this was our last chance.

And, I had another dream.

I looked out the window to see Sarah with the rest of my classmates who had come. I have had a crush on her ever since we met in junior high. In fact, I don't understand why anyone wouldn't like her. She's quiet, compassionate, and never had anything bad to say about anyone. Not to mention, she had the cutest face and softest looking waist-long blond hair. I just wanted to reach out and run my fingers through it.

"Forget it, man," Carlos interrupted my daydream when I noticed my fingers were pressed against the window. "You know you can't win against Jean," he added jokingly.

I sighed and looked at the little brown pokemon curled up in her arms. I couldn't name one time out of school that it wasn't with her. I envied that eevee. What I wouldn't give to be in its place, even if just for a day. As Sarah disappeared around the corner, my arm dropped and I turned to Carlos.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I said and halfheartedly joined in on his laughter as we walked into the locker room.

---

A crisp wind hit me in the face as I stepped out of Violet High School onto the sidewalk and a siren blared in my ears. In a flash of red, the fire trucks passed by and shot around the corner. I looked up to Carlos and realized from his shocked expression we both had the same thought on our minds. We took off at a dead sprint.

A sea of black smoke billowed into the sky and joined with the layer of gray clouds. Sure enough, a row of wartortle was lined up on the side walk, sending gushes of water into the flames scaling the blue, two-story house at the end of the street.

A firefighter assisted a staggering Sarah through the front door. When he removed his hand from her mouth, she coughed and took a tearful glance behind her.

"J-Jean!" Sarah stammered through sobs and coughs. "M-my eevee! Jean! He's still inside!"

The firefighter patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, we're searching," he said and turned to look at the burning house as it uttered a screeching groan that Sarah nervously moaned in response to.

I watched on helplessly as two more firefighters ran out of the front door. "That's it, the house is about to go," one grunted. Sarah gasped and cried into the chest of the firefighter holding her up.

A pain spiked through my chest. The flames licked the walls hungrily. My heart skipped to a double pace. I felt a force more powerful than my fear. My feet were lifted.

"Hold it!" one of the firefighters shouted.

I ignored him. The flames enveloped me. Smoke greeted me. My eyes stung and were forced shut. I pulled out a handkerchief to cover my mouth. My hand found the wall. I started trotting through the charred debris.

Absolute darkness closed in. It deprived me of my sight. The cackles of the fire took my hearing. They only allowed the dark's whispers of bereavement. I had no target. My fingers were my guide. I was scared and helpless. However, something was driving me forward.

Sometimes the wall would give away to another room. My eyes burned when I opened them. Unfortunately, no room would reveal the pokemon. Tears further blurred my vision. I finally saw the bundle of fur. It didn't respond to touch. Its back didn't rise with breath. Its glass eyes reflected the fire around us.

I fell to my knees. My heart broke down. Grief and regret came from nowhere.

The house groaned again. I grabbed the pokemon and ran out of the room. Jean couldn't be dead yet.

The ground shook from under my feet. I feel over. My legs were covered in fallen wood. I lay there. The hand of pain held me. Gasps came from down the hall. Sarah's sobs beat into my ears. The immobile eevee rested under my arm. I dropped my head in hopelessness. Then a light shone through. Ferocity beat with my heart.

I pulled myself and Jean along the floor. The wreckage fell to the floor. My body screamed in pain. Each stride sent a shockwave through my bones. I couldn't gasp. The smoke waited to finish me off when I would open my mouth. But my body was a time bomb. It was ready to go off.

My glasses slipped off my nose. My eyes throbbed. My face swelled. With every stroke along the charred carpet, I could feel my grip weaken. My arms and legs started to numb.

I had lost my grip on the eevee. I cranked my head. My neck roared in protest. My eyes burned and leaked. I couldn't see anything. My head fell lamely. I couldn't move.

My world went white. I scrambled back. My shirt drifted off. My spine stiffened. My body prickled all over. I dropped the handkerchief. Smoke flooded in.

I heard mumbling over my coughing. Footsteps started getting closer, every thump thundered in my ears. I felt a hand gently touch my back. I must have been going crazy because it felt ten times bigger than any hand I ever felt.

"Jean!" Her voice fell like a ton of bricks. "Are you alright?"

The giant hands were now rubbing back and forth across my shoulder blades. The impression intensified the feeling of a thousand needles piercing my back.

"Please, wake up," Sarah pleaded through more sobs.

I wanted to apologize but, defeated, I finally let consciousness slip away from me, before I could even realize that more than one life had already come to an end.

***

**A/N: **Hope you liked it. Reviews and suggestions would be appreciated.

Special thanks to ReLeeS for being the beta reader for this fic! If you like a good TF fic with lots of colorful characters and development, also check out her "Seven Days as a Pokemon."

Thanks a lot to Farla for his review and a couple friends of mine for putting up with my asking them to review and give their suggestions as I worked on it. It's thanks to you guys I can improve. I encourage others to critique my work as well. I'm happy that you like the story, but knowing how I can do better is just as appreciated. It's for you guys that I'm uploading this story, so I'm here to serve.

Also, if you guys want to, I will take into consideration any characters (pokemon or human) you wish to submit. I'm not guaranteeing anything and if I choose not to use your ideas, I'm sorry. I also reserve the right to make any changes I deem necessary. I only have a few rules:

Try to keep your characters American or Spanish. I'm not being racist, it just makes things easier. The less research I have to do, the quicker chapters are finished, alright?

No Mary Sues/Gary Stus, characters related to canons, canon clones, or characters with traits outside of the Pokemon franchise (no super saiyan trainers or anything like that, okay?).

Submit only one character and do it by PM.

Updates might be slow. ReLeeS and I are both college students with jobs, sports, and what have you. Hopefully I can update at least once every 2-3 weeks but it might get better as we get sorted out. Check my profile for the expected release date of the next chapter. Just remember, it's only an approximation. It might come sooner or later depending on how things turn out.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season and will enjoy an even greater year to come. Cya next time!


	2. The Blank Page

**A/N: **Welcome back to the next chapter of The Game! Surprisingly, we managed to get it to you on time. :D

It's longer than my last one, so I hope that makes up for the wait. I know reading on the internet isn't the most convenient thing in the world, so let me know if you like this length or if I should go a bit shorter like the last one.

**Update (2/5/10) –** For anyone looking for the new chapter, it's just about done and I should have it up sometime this weekend. Hang tight!

Now let's move on to the chapter. Enjoy!

***

**Chapter 2: The Blank Page**

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I was warm. It wasn't a blistering heat like the fire. It was comfortable and welcoming. I wanted to stay there and sleep forever. It felt like every evil had been wiped off the face of the planet. There was nothing to worry about. No pain or fear was left. No fire or destruction.

I gasped and snapped my eyes open, feeling as if I had just been sprayed with ice cold water. But the warmth returned, along with a bright light. I winced and tried to rub my eyes, but my arms wouldn't respond.

After my eyes adjusted, I saw that a mist concealed everything from my view. I couldn't open my mouth. I couldn't speak. I couldn't hear. I couldn't feel. I couldn't touch. I couldn't move. There was nothing.

A spear pierced my heart as absolute terror gripped me. That is, if it had anything to grip. I looked down and felt a bit more relieved. My body was still there. Albeit I was naked, I was still in one piece. I stood on nothing. Maybe I was lying on nothing instead, since I appeared to be paralyzed. Despite the uncertainty and solitude, I felt at peace.

Suddenly a rift in the rotating clouds appeared as a big eared, brown creature approached me, bushy tail swaying in its trail. Jean sat down and looked up at me with a blank expression and boundless, black eyes.

The peace of my new surroundings vanished. In an instant, my world went dark and I could feel again. I was lying on a cushion of some sort, but at that moment, my body was once again surrounded by pins. My back felt as if any movement would snap it in half. My hands tingled with the worst numbness even the winter's coldest night couldn't produce. My neck was on fire and my face was stretched to a breaking point.

Opening my eyes right there was the most difficult thing I had ever accomplished. Unlike the bright clouds, I was now in a dark room. The sky was painted orange outside the window-a testament to the rising sun that the birds greeted with their song pounding at my ears. The bleak light that leaked through the glass outlined a bed. Just beneath the covers, I recognized the sleeping face of Sarah Davis.

The blankets rustled as Sarah winked her eyes open and sat up. After yawning and stretching, she let her feet fall into the slippers on the floor and stood up, her gown weaving around her ankles. Rubbing her eyes, she walked to the doorway and switched the light on and then looked at me.

"Jean, you're up!" she said.

Before I could make any response to that, or barely even think about it, she picked me up and hugged me. I flinched at the pain. Then I looked down, realizing the oddity that I was small enough to fit in her arms. Not only that, my body was covered in brown fur and my hands had been replaced with paws. I found a mirror nearby and saw a furry face looking back with long, brown ears, a white mane, and a bushy tail to match the fur. A red collar rested on my neck with a silver nametag inscribed "Jean".

I looked up to Sarah and tried to speak but all that came out of my mouth was a high pitched squeal.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sarah said. "Are you still hurt from yesterday?"

She put me back into the pet bed I was in before. I started looking around again when she sat down and started scratching me behind the ears. The sensation lulled me and my eyes started to droop. I felt my tail wagging. Now my mind was really going to the dogs.

"This is Grandma's apartment," she continued. "You remember, right? We used to come here all the time to play while I was in elementary school but, as my life started getting busier, she had to visit us."

I opened my eyes again. I knew she was talking to Jean, but I remembered. It was almost five years ago now when she had invited me to her birthday party here-that time I had stepped on Jean's tail and he nipped at my ankles, causing me to drop my glass of punch over her new dress. It had been hard to speak to her after that.

With one final swipe over my head, she got up and headed to the door. "Well, you get some rest," she said. "And if you're hungry, there's food in the kitchen." With that, she switched off the light and disappeared behind the door, leaving it open enough that a thin streak of light shown on the floor.

But I had no intention of sleeping. I looked down and saw the furry paws again. I would have passed it off as a weird dream if it hadn't been for the soreness that now crippled my body.

I lay down, closed my eyes, and thought back to Sarah's house. After I had found Jean, part of the ceiling had collapsed on me – more specifically, my legs. I had thought the pain yesterday was from that. But now that I think about it, it should have only been in my legs. Was that when this had started?

Think back again. What happened when I had found Jean that could have done this? I shook my head in frustration. I hadn't noticed any little details at the time. The only thing on my mind was getting Jean back to Sarah. I smirked and looked down again. So I had. But that still didn't answer how I had become an eevee.

Then, more questions popped into my head. Was I transformed into an eevee or was I just in Jean's body? And if this was Jean's body, what had happened to mine? If not, what had happened to Jean? The thoughts pushed at my mind and I was reminded of being trapped in those clouds. I sighed and dropped my head into the cushion. A tear streaked down my face. Trapped – that's what I was. And as far as I could see in my frantic, troubled state of mind, there was no way out. But I didn't have long to linger on that feeling. Sleep soon took over my exhausted, afflicted form once more.

---

Sunlight found its way through my closed eyelids and they slowly slid open. I yawned and stretched, pushing my tired body up onto four legs. I sighed-so it hadn't been a dream. But at least the pain had subsided. After a bit of stumbling, I taught myself to walk on my new legs and soon found myself nudging my face through the door.

The kitchen was empty and I looked up at the ticking clock on the wall. It was one in the afternoon. Sarah must be at school and her grandma was probably out running errands. My eyes dropped to the food dish beneath the counter and my stomach grumbled. I shrugged and walked over to the pellets, deciding not to smell first before taking a bite. The artificial flavoring tasted surprisingly like real beef. It was not at all like the foul smell that escaped the dog food bag when I would first open it.

When I was done eating, I found the recycle bin by the door where the morning paper had been dropped and paced over to it. The headline emblazoned "Local House Collapses Due to Fire". I read the article and my eyes stopped at the line "18-year-old Tyler Young could not be found. Authorities are giving a month before they proclaim him dead."

So I really had disappeared in that fire. I read the line again. I had a month to figure this out before it got out of hand. I wasn't ready to die yet.

I found a chair to jump onto the counter from, surprised at the strength of my new hind legs. A window was placed by the sinking and, after a couple tries, I managed to toggle the lock and pushed the window open a bit. I stuck my head through the crack and squeezed through. Before I could even look down, I dropped seven feet to the grass below.

My landing was anything but graceful, but I stood up again, shaking leaves and twigs from my fur. A car thundered by, causing me to jump. In my new form, it seemed a lot louder and bigger than I remembered. I shook my head to snap myself out of it. With the thought of abandoning Sarah weighing down my back, I took off.

It was my hometown but, through new eyes, the walk down Main Street was something completely different. People went along, talking to someone next to them or on their phones, hardly paying attention to where they were walking, leaving me to dance through a jungle of legs. Some kids spotted me and grabbed me, ruffling my fur and tugging my ears. I sighed when their mother ran up and told them off.

There was one close call with the police as a stray, one offense I had never thought myself capable of. I'd never been so afraid of growlithe in my life. But I was soon lying in the grass, basking in the caressing breeze that hadn't broken into the maze of concrete and steel.

Ahead of me towered the untamed trees outside of my little sanctuary. Could I really do this? Well, the Ruins of Alph weren't too far from Violet City. I remembered my father always telling me the answers were there. Of course, I knew he was talking about the fabled unown, but I had to start somewhere. I turned away from the city and, swallowing my courage, took off into the forest.

---

Running was a bit harder right now. Not just because I had to do it on four legs, but my hair was so heavy with the rain soaking it. Boy had I gotten off on the wrong foot. The gods were bowling today and someone was losing badly.

A scream filled the air, drowning out the pounding of the downpour and causing me to jump to attention. I heard rustling from above and looked to see a sentret flying from branch to branch, a beedrill buzzing hot on her tail.

The beedrill lost its target when a stone flew in front of its eyes. I had another rock in my paw when it glared at me. It zoomed toward me, my eyes on the stingers I heard to be deadly poisonous. I rolled to the side, mud getting into my eyes. Great, I got myself into a battle. What was I supposed to do now?

"Don't just stand there! Use your Sand-Attack!"

I couldn't see for the mud, but I could hear the buzz approaching. I didn't know if this was going to be right, but it was worth a shot. I kicked at the ground, flinging dirt into the air, while still bracing for the oncoming attack. But the buzzing soon became fainter to be replaced by footsteps.

"You idiot," the voice said. Something brushed against my face and I could see the tail move back to behind the sentret that stood before me. She wore a face mixed with pity and annoyance.

"Thanks," was all I could manage to say under the pressure the pokemon was exerting.

"Next time, don't pick a fight unless you_ can_ fight," she said. The ground sloshed under her feet as she took off down the path. She stopped. "Thanks. It was cool of you to help me out there, I guess. Bye." With that, she continued on her way.

I stood there for a couple seconds, shivering against the rain, before I started running after her. I was completely lost. Maybe I could get some help.

"Wait," I said. "Mind if I come with you? I'm new around this area and don't have anywhere to go."

The sentret stopped again and turned around. "Sorry, but I don't think Father would appreciate me bringing you home, pet boy," she said with a snicker.

I stared at her quizzically and then she nodded at the collar on my neck.

"Humans may treat you well," she said. "But we don't need to lose any more to trainers." I caught a sniff at the end.

For the next minute or so, we just stood there and looked at each other. I finally broke the silence. "Well, to tell you the truth, my trainer released me," I said, trying to make the lie sound as valid as possible. "Her family just moved to an apartment where they don't allow animals."

The sentret sighed. "You really want to come, don't you?" she said. "Fine, but if anything happens…" She couldn't find the words to finish the threat and just turned around to keep going. "My name's Cindy, by the way."

As we got deeper into the forest, I noticed the trees getting thicker and farther apart, letting the rain in more. Not only that, but the trees were also hollow. We soon came to one where a pair of furret was standing in a mouth at the base. Cindy ran up and embraced them in a hug, I right on her heels.

"Welcome home, Cindy," one said. "We were getting worried about you." I noted they must've been her parents.

Her mom looked at me. "And who's this?" she asked.

Cindy walked over to me. "Well, I got into a bit of trouble with a wild beedrill," she said and dropped an arm around my shoulders, "and Jean here saved me." She continued before I could ask, and then remembered the collar. "He claims to have been released and is looking for a place to stay."

Her parents looked at each other, concern etching onto their faces.

"I'm not sure," her dad said. "We'll have to see Father about this."

It turned out Father was what they called the leader of their village, a noctowl. So I joined Cindy's family that night around a table artistically carved into the biggest tree in the area. I was surprised by the organization of the wild pokemon village and also felt greatly out of place, being the lone eevee in a group of pidgey, rattata, sentret, and hoothoot families. Not to mention the collar around my neck. Everyone who entered that conference glared at it at least once.

Things only got worse as they started discussing possibly taking me in. Many argued they feared for the safety of their children and even this land if I ended up giving their location away to the humans. A pidgeot seemed the most disgruntled about it when Father started to consider accepting me. He started shouting profanities and threw his wings every which way in a blind fury.

"That's Michael," Cindy whispered. "He's second in command, if you will. He really isn't Father's number one fan and he's been trying to control the village behind his back. Definitely don't get on his bad side. He's our strongest warrior. At least, he is now."

She went silent after that and I decided not to question what she meant. Cindy was one of those girls that I could never figure out. One moment, they're confident and in charge, and the next they're breaking down. This was one reason I preferred quiet girls like Sarah.

My mind wandered back to the apartment, where Sarah was probably having dinner with her grandma and parents. I wondered how she was feeling about my disappearing on her. It definitely would've been better being there with her than with the pokemon who treated me like the apocalypse. The discussion took a turn for the worse and they started slinging insults and profanities about me.

"Everyone, please, calm down!"

It was Cindy who brought an end to the bickering. All eyes in the tree house were drawn to her and, more particularly, me. I slunk my shoulders down and the table came to eye level for me, but Cindy stood firm and cleared her throat.

"Are we so callous we'd leave a fellow pokemon in need?" she pronounced. A silence fell over the room and she sighed. "I'll take full responsibility of Jean and make sure he doesn't harm our homes."

Mumbles filled the room after that and then Father raised his wing. "I think that's a fine idea, Ms. Cindy," he said. "Does anyone disagree?"

Aside from a "humph" from Mike, no one retaliated, and I found myself lying on a cloth in Cindy's house that night. She was sleeping nearby with her back to me. Her parents weren't too keen on the idea of having a stray with them, but they shared their berries with me nonetheless. I still couldn't make out what Cindy really thought, but she seemed to be the most troubled by my appearance.

---

Cindy showed me to the river that ran from Mount Mortar the next morning. Many different pokemon were bathing in the water with the villagers who still glared daggers into me, unlike Cindy's parents who merely ignored me. Even some of the outside pokemon eyed me suspiciously and my ears drooped.

"Hey, cheer up," Cindy said, patting me on the back. "A shower should do it."

I looked up to see her pointing to a small waterfall where some seel and poliwhirl were lying on rocks, letting the water flow around them. I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by them as we waded into the water.

I looked to Cindy who kept silent. Even she seemed to still not be sure about me. As the warm water came flowing down and massaged my back, I decided my only option was to get done what I was out here for in the first place. But what kind of help could I get from a village that didn't even like the idea of me being the pet of a human? They probably wouldn't believe me anyway and things would only get worse.

I looked to the pokemon stroking through the river, at peace with the world. Maybe this wasn't as bad as I thought. The life of a pokemon might be an easy, relaxing one. If only I could get the villagers to trust me.

My eyes became heavy but I was aroused again by laughter. I looked up as Cindy groaned and saw an aipom hanging by its tail on a branch nearby.

"Well, well, well," he said through snickers. "Look what the sentret brought in today. Who's your friend, Cindy? Eevee aren't exactly common around here."

"Give it a rest, Momo," Cindy answered. "Jean here just needed a place to stay."

"Jean?" Momo replied. "That's a nice name for a boyfriend. He certainly does look strong and handsome, too."

"It's not like that!" we both countered, blushing through our fur.

"How cute," Momo snickered. "Well, I'll leave you two love birds alone."

Cindy sighed.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, stroking towards here. "It always seems like you're bothered by something."

But before she could answer, a scream pierced my ears. Cindy was already out of the water. I pushed myself to the edge and took off after her.

"Hey!" I yelled. "What's going on?"

"It's probably the beedrill again," she shouted back.

My heart skipped a beat with the memory of yesterday's encounter with the poisonous pokemon fresh in my mind. The trees watched on eerily as we made for the village.

***

**A/N: **I'm sorry this chapter wasn't as exciting, but there was a stage to be set and characters to be introduced, so yeah. I guess you could call this the "real chapter 1." You know, the boring chapter that usually scares people away? ;P

Next chapter is when things really start to fire up, so look forward to that!

Although, I'm sorry to say that I've got a few final projects to do for school, so it might take a bit longer to prepare the next chapter, depending on how much I have to do at home. I'm going to put the expected release date as three weeks from now just to be safe, but I will try my best to get it done as soon as possible.

Cya next time!


	3. The Misty Surface

**A/N:** **Update (2/21/10): **Sorry, guys, I completely forgot I had the release date set last Friday. However, I'm still waiting on ReLeaS to beta the next chapter. Unfortunately, this upcoming week is going to be living hell. There's no other way I can put it. Chapter 5 is going to be a few more weeks down the line here. Bear with me here. Imagine high school, doubled (because I'm also taking college courses), AND extracurriculars, missing two days for a funeral (so I'll have some homework to make up… _), AND having a report to write. Yeah, that's this coming week…

**Update (2/8/10):** Hopefully I didn't confuse you guys too much, but I have changed the name and summary of this story in an attempt to attract more readers. It's still the same story, though. For those interested, the name is a reference to a 1956 movie adaptation of Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game", which this story is inspired from.

***

**Chapter 3: The Misty Surface**

***

The village had erupted into a frantic fury as villagers scurried in all directions, fleeing from the beedrill swarm. In a blink, Cindy had joined the few fighting them off.

I stood there, not knowing what to do. My head started to grow heavy as my heart once again kicked into high gear. I started to slip into swirling white clouds but jumped into action and found myself on top of a beedrill in one fluid motion, struggling to keep the stingers pinned to the ground.

"He's not going to give up, pet boy," I heard Cindy say and looked up to see her fly by the wing of of one with a blinding quick attack. It fell to the ground, its wing wrinkled.

I frowned and looked down at my captive, who was putting everything he had into his attempts to stab me. Without a second glance, I dug my hind paws into his forearms and kicked off. I turned around and saw bug pokemon, now with dented stingers, stagger off with the rest of its crippled kind.

"You guys are being too kind."

"No, Mike! Don't!"

I looked up and the sun that peaked through the canopy was eclipsed by a pidgeot piercing the torso of a beedrill. The bee fell to the ground in two pieces and the bird landed triumphantly beside it. I choked at the sight.

"That was too far!" Cindy yelled again, sizing herself up to him.

"But Cindy," the pidgeot spoke sternly. "This is war. The bug pokemon aren't going to quit until they eradicate us and take our territory. We have to kill them if we want to survive."

"But…" Cindy began, crestfallen. "There has to be a better way."

Mike smirked. "Alright," he said. "We've got a new mind now." He turned to face me. "Let's see what little Jean can come up with. That is, if he wants to become one of us."

"Don't you think that's a bit too much for one pokemon to do?" Cindy countered.

"I'll do it," I said, almost too quickly.

Cindy faced me with a panicked expression. "Are you crazy?" she said. "You can barely beat one, pet boy. What makes you think you can take the whole gang?"

"What happens will happen, I guess," I answered with a shrug, but failed to conceal the fear in my voice. "Besides, you don't want to follow Mike and kill them all, do you?"

"Alright, pet boy," Mike said, laughing. "If you can get rid of the beedrill once and for all, we'll accept you as a member of our village."

With that, he took flight laughing, leaving the rest of the villagers to survey me with mixed expressions.

---

That night I got together with everyone I could to discuss the plan, which came down to the resounding five who somewhat trusted me: Cindy and her parents, Father, and, surprisingly, Momo. Momo seemed keen on some fun and it was nice to have an opposable digit again.

We set to work on the stage. It turned out to be an all-nighter, even with the extra help Cindy's family managed to get. However, those who had consented to helping me out seemed to warm up to me, at least more than they had been. But when we were finished, Cindy had run off crying. The forest was a blur of brown and red, relinquishing her from my sight.

"You should ask her," her father had told me when I asked. "I don't think we should tell you without her knowing."

I slid to a stop at their house and walked inside. Cindy was curled in a corner, her sniffs echoing off the bark. I could make out one word she repeated over and over. "Luis, Luis, Luis."

I rested a paw on her back but she didn't make any response and kept crying. "Are you okay?" I asked softly.

Again, she didn't answer. I sat next to her, looking at the wall. Her sobs slowly came to an end and after a few minutes of silence, she spoke.

"He was my brother," she said, "and one of the best. I really looked up to him."

I sat there as she started to cry again before continuing. "He was always taking charge of our village's operations."

So it must've felt like she was working with her brother again, I realized, nodding along.

"He always knew what to do. Mike didn't like him very much." She giggled a bit. "Even though Mike was stronger, Luis would always outsmart him in battle."

Cindy was looking me in the eyes now. "One day, Father was spotted by a trainer," she went on. "He wasn't strong enough to defend himself and Luis jumped in. Father was able to escape, but Luis wasn't so lucky."

She broke into sobs again and I nudged her shoulder with my nose a bit. So this was why they were so high strung against humans. I didn't know what to say. She was telling me this as a fellow pokemon, but I was really human. I felt like the filthiest thing on Earth.

---

I woke up first the next morning and stroked Cindy on the shoulders again before leaving. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, bathing the forest in orange. It was a chill fall morning and the only sound was the chirps of early-morning insects.

"Hey, Momo, it's time to go!" I shouted and the monkey pokemon fell from the branches above. "You said you know where the beedrill nest is, right?"

The aipom slowly pushed himself to his feet and groggily stretched. "Yes, sir," he said with a hint of sarcasm. "I know this forest like the back of my tail."

I rolled my eyes at the pun and heard a groan. Cindy was walking out of the tree, rubbing her eyes.

"You're really going to do this, huh?" she said. "I still think a swarm of beedrill will be too much for you."

"Don't worry," I said. "If all goes according to plan, there won't be any battles today."

"Good luck," Cindy shrugged, adding with a strong hint of sarcasm, "Remember, Momo's helping."

"Hey!" Momo retaliated.

I stopped him there and, after exchanging good-byes with Cindy, took off down the path after him. The beedrill nest wasn't too far away, but Momo still found time to try and discourage me with stories of how his uncle had found himself on the wrong end of a beedrill and was left paralyzed for a week before finally succumbing to the poison.

Whether the story was true or not, I didn't know. Nevertheless, I gulped as Momo announced that we were close to the nest. Suddenly, my ears were filled with buzzing. A loud, bloodcurdling screech sounded among the buzzes that made even Momo jump.

"What was that?" he yelled, his voice shaking. "That was no beedrill!"

With that, we took off down the path towards the beedrills' nest – our eyes were met with nothing but carnage when we arrived. Michael was having a hay day through the clearing. The beedrill were helpless, falling one after the other. Some tried to attack from behind, but he was flapping his wings hard enough to blow gusts to keep them away as he tore through them.

"What now?" Momo stammered as we watched. "It looks like Michael has this under control."

"Get ready," I simply said.

"Huh?"

"You heard me. I won't let Mike have his way."

I dashed into the clearing. The sound of the crunching leaves under my paws attracted some of the beedrill and they dove down toward me. I quickly chanced a look back at Momo, who was still standing there, and glared at him. He nodded and started running toward the river.

I felt the wind pick up and the beedrill were knocked off course. I stopped and looked up to see Michael land in front of me.

"So you came after all," he said with a sneer. "Don't worry. I've decided to help you."

I scowled and merely tackled him in response. Being caught off guard, he fell backward with me on his breast.

"We're not killing them!" I shouted furiously. "Without the beedrill, there won't be any pokemon left to scatter pollen and seeds. Don't you realize that? Trees would grow next to each other and kill each other off. This forest would die!"

The pidgeot growled and lurched himself up, throwing me to the side. I rolled a bit, but quickly shook the dizziness off. I suddenly heard a screech of pain and looked up. Michael's down was dripping in red and a scyther stood behind him, his arm held firm in mid air over the gash he had left on the bird's back.

Before I had time to think, the beedrill were on to me again. I gasped and quickly took off down the path. The curtain of yellow and black was on my tail. The chill breeze danced with my fur. The trees vanished in blurs of red and gold. My scraped paws begged me to stop. But I couldn't. My beating chest told me otherwise with threats to burst wide open.

Luckily, the river wasn't too far away and I breathed a sigh of relief as I dived into the water. When I surfaced, a cage of wood fell from the waterfall and the swarm slammed into the log bars before they could stop or even see what was coming. The impact caused the cage to sway on its rope and the door swung shut, the latch falling into place.

I looked up and grinned at Momo, whose tail was still on the makeshift pulley attached to a branch sticking out of the crashing water. The cage drifted lazily in and out of the waterfall. The beedrill twitched and thrashed inside the cage frantically. This should teach them to leave the village alone.

But even as I watched, the log bars shattered in a flash. Not losing a second, the scyther u-turned in mid flight and dived toward me. I ducked into the water, but too slowly. The left side of my neck and my left ear stung as my face submerged in the cool rush.

Crimson fused with the water around me and Jean's collar drifted to the surface, cleanly cut in half. I gasped from the pain and made for the surface for air. The scyther towered over me on the edge, sneering.

"Now the game begins," he said, "Tyler Young."

He took flight, leaving me to stare at the spot he had stood.

---

"Human, you say?" Father repeated with a glaring hint of disbelief despite his attempts to conceal it.

My stomach did a somersault, intensifying my anxiety and desire to be anywhere but standing before him in his office. I merely nodded.

While Father pondered this revelation, I scratched at my bandaged ear that was stinging from the iodine his wife, Helen, had applied to the wound. After the blood had been cleared, she found a notch where my ear had nearly been sliced off and a scar was left down the length of my neck.

"I have never heard of such an occurrence," Father finally said, breaking the silence. I couldn't bear to look him in the eyes anymore. "I don't know what we could do about it."

"That's okay," I said. "I thought maybe the Ruins of Alph would hold some answers, but I got lost and that's when I ran into Cindy."

"Well, we could help you with that, but you should stay until you recover. We're celebrating the end of summer tomorrow night. You should join the festivities."

This surprised me. "But someone's after me," I said. "If I stay here, you guys could be in danger, and that scyther didn't exactly leave Mike in a fighting state. What do you plan to do if something happens?"

Father merely smiled. "I appreciate your concern," he answered, "but you shouldn't worry about that. I don't want to leave a fellow pokemon on his own when he's hurt."

I looked down to my feet. "I feel like such a burden to you guys," I said.

"Chin up, Tyler," Father replied. "Why don't you go to Cindy's house? I'm sure they're anxious to learn how you're holding up, and I wouldn't be too surprised if they didn't have a nice dinner waiting."

My stomach growled at that and he laughed heartily. I hadn't eaten at all that day and food did sound like a good idea.

"Alright," I conceded. "Thanks for the help! Bye!"

Father smiled and waved and Helen gave me a strong hug before I walked out of the tree. I immediately caught Cindy in the corner of my eye and jumped in shock. She was leaning against the entrance to the tree, tear streaks lining her face that wore an expression of disbelief and anger.

"Cindy," I stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard from Momo what happened at the river and came to check on you," she answered with a shaking voice. "I can't believe you'd hide something like this from me. I trusted you!" She slapped me across the face and ran off without another word.

I slumped down as she vanished into the foliage. I barely heard the rustle of the grass behind me until a shadow come over me. I looked up to see Mike glaring down on me and panting harshly. Helen had dressed him as well; a bandage was wrapped around his torso.

"It's time for you to pay for what happened at the beedrill nest."

***

**A/N:** Yeah, I'm sure everyone saw it coming, but the Tyler vs. Mike battle is coming up next if you were just dying for that. ;P

And now that I've introduced the main cast, it's time to answer some questions in the next chapter. Those of you who have stuck with me this long will finally get a little insight into what happened to Tyler and Jean! Yay, right?

As always, keep up in my profile for the expected release date and any other updates I put up. Chapter 4 is almost done and I might have it ready next week even. Cya next time!


	4. The Fast Beat

***

**Chapter 4: The Fast Beat**

***

I slammed into the tree, cursing under my breath for the jolts of pain from the jagged bark. Having been favoring my left side, I was now covered in scratches on the right side of my face and shoulder. However, the tree showed relatively no evidence of being barraged with tackles.

Fortunately for me, I was right about Michael when I was talking to Father. He had "decided" to spare me until tomorrow, after we both had a good rest from the scyther incident. So here I was, trying to figure out some way I could manage to beat him.

"What are you doing?"

I quickly turned around and saw Cindy walking toward me. "What do you care?" I said and faced the tree again.

"I don't know what to think anymore," she answered and I heard her come closer, the leaves crunching under her feet. "I just don't want to believe it."

"It's true," I simply replied. "Everything I told Father this morning was true."

"How is that even possible?"

"That's what I'd like to know."

"Well, whatever you are, I want to help." She was next to me now. "I know you're not just beating yourself up over this. What are you up against now?"

---

I collapsed and immediately fell asleep, exhausted from spending that evening training with Cindy. I was surrounded by white clouds again, wrapped in warmth. But this time, I was standing.

I looked down to see there was nothing there to stand on. Despite my desire to return, it actually seemed weird being in my old body again after the past few days, even though this was only a dream. At least, that's all I could label it as, anyway.

I could move this time and reached up to my neck. The scars were there as well, but it didn't bother me now. Once again, all the pain and suffering of the world had vanished in this sanctuary of light. I merely drifted there, basking in the comfort.

My eyes started drooping but I suddenly noticed a brown heap a few feet away from me. An eevee was curled up, looking at me. I noticed that he had the same scars I did.

"Jean?" I asked since his collar was missing, too. He nodded. "What is this place? Do you know?"

Before I could even feel stupid for trying to talk to a pokemon, he answered, "I'm not entirely sure, but it appears to be some sort of a crossroads between our spirits." I gave him a quizzical look. "You mean you haven't realized you and I share the same body now?"

"Could that be why I'm an eevee?" I muttered.

"It could be," Jean replied.

"Wait, what does that mean, anyway? Did one of us die?"

"I'm sorry, Tyler, but I'm just as lost as you are. All I know is that we can alternate dominance of this body. It's not as if I've been unconscious this whole time or anything. I just haven't had as much control over our actions as you have."

I just stood there, too shocked to even think. This just got more and more confusing with each word Jean spoke. I remembered the first time I woke up to this place and I couldn't move. Had Jean been in control at that time? Maybe that's why Jean wasn't moving right now.

"Anyway, now that I've got your attention," Jean continued, "I wish to ask for you to give up your dominance. You have more mental strength than I do, so I can't take control from you myself. No offense, Tyler, but I think I should be the one to fight Michael tomorrow."

---

"Here," Cindy said and slid a chain necklace with a silver tag over my neck. "I think it suits you nicely. You know, since you lost your collar and all."

I had told her what happened last night between Jean and I and I was sure she would think I'd gone crazy, but now she was giving me something. I looked at it and noticed "Luis" was scratched into it. "But, wait," I said. "Isn't this-?"

"Don't worry about it," Cindy cut me off. "It was my brother's good luck charm. Maybe it will help you in your battle today."

I smiled. "Thanks, Cindy," I said. "With you, Luis, and Jean backing me up, there's no way I'll lose."

She nodded and I headed off toward the river. I leaned against a tree and tried my best to relax. However, that wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do when you know you're lending your body to someone to fight with.

"Alright, Jean, let's go," I said after a minute, realizing nothing was happening. I felt a pressure in my head and my body went stiff.

It was the oddest sensation ever. I could see, hear, smell, and even feel the breeze, but my feet and head were moving on their own. The initial shock of it almost made me take control again, but I held myself back and tried to relax as best I could. Now I knew how my mom felt when I was first learning to drive.

"So, you decided to show up after all," Mike said as Jean entered the clearing around the river. "I thought you'd be smart for once and hide, but I guess you like making mistakes, don't you?" He spread his wings and kicked off of the ground.

I couldn't believe it. There was no way he could be flying with his injuries. I noticed him wince but he kept himself airborne. This wasn't going to be good.

"This should keep you busy," Mike said and beat his wings hard, sending a strong gust of wind toward Jean.

Jean dug his paws into the ground, but he couldn't hold on long. He was thrown back into a tree and fell to the ground, motionless.

"Are you done already?" Mike scoffed, stopping his attack.

Jean simply lay there at the base of the tree. I started to panic.

"Well, too bad," Mike cried and soared toward him. "I'm not through with you yet!"

I rolled to the side and Mike crashed into the tree, shouting profanities in pain. My heart jumped. I was in control of my body again. Mike was already on top of me with another assault. I ran out of the way and turned around. A large gash was left in the ground in Mike's track. He really was trying to kill me.

Mike turned around and soared toward me again. His torso was wide open. I took a stance and lunged into him. He yelled as his back slammed into the ground. Immediately, I was thrown off. I dug my paws into the ground to pull myself to a stop and flung myself into him.

After exchanging a few tackles, paws and wings met as we both struggled to push the other over. I twisted my body, forcing Mike to twist as well, let go of his wings and rolled over to kick him in his exposed torso again. I jumped toward a tree and kicked off to slam into him and we both fell to the ground again. Before Mike could regain his composure, I tackled him again and he fell over.

I won. Mike was out. But his ferocious eyes shot open. I gasped as he got up and took flight once again. Gusts picked up around him and gathered in front of him. His wings began to glow as he made slashing movements. I didn't even see it coming before I felt cold stings against my face and body. I was thrown back by the force of the razor wind attack. I barely had the strength to keep my eyes open, but I saw Mike approach.

Before I could react, he had a firm grip around my throat with his talon. My feet lost the ground and wind blew fiercely across my body as I was lifted into the air. I started to go light headed. I started to gag.

"What's wrong, pet boy?" Mike mocked. "You can't take a little flight? Well let's land, then."

He perched himself on a tree nearby and thrust me against the bark. I felt warm and sticky blood drip down my tail. My sight was going bleary but I could still see him grin.

"Sweet revenge," he said and dropped me. "Good night."

I blacked out a bit and the next thing I knew, Mike was standing over me, his foot meters from my face. But something seemed wrong. It was as if something was pushing against him. He scowled and backed off, spreading his wings and taking flight.

I felt my throat burn and gasped. Jean gasped, rather. When his mouth opened, a ball of purple light shot out. Mike was surprised but spiraled around it in midair. I could only watch on, shocked, but Jean was already forming another ball in his mouth that Mike evaded. He let loose two more and the second hit dead on, but went right through him.

"You idiot," he said with a sneer. "You scared me for a second, but that's just a ghost attack, shadow ball. It won't affect a normal type like me."

With that, he shot toward Jean with a quick attack but hit square on with an invisible wall. Screeching ferociously, he started scratching at it with his talons.

"Stop!"

We both looked to see Father walking toward us. At that moment, the force against Mike seized and he toppled over.

---

Father had taken me back to his house where Cindy was waiting. Helen invited us in with a cheerful smile and had me lay on their bed.

"So, are you going to the festival tonight?" she asked as she set to work on my wounds.

"Yeah, I think I will," I answered.

"Who are you taking to the dance?" she asked.

"Dance?" I gulped.

Helen laughed. "Of course," she said. "You should take that Cindy girl who you're always following around. Just don't be too rough with her." She winked toward the scratches on my back that she had just finished dressing.

It was then that Father walked back into the room.

"How are you holding up, Tyler?" he asked promptly, giving me a smile.

"Not bad," I said.

"I talked to the leader of the beedrill tribe today," he said, taking a seat at the end of the bed I was lying in. "It turns out they were working under the orders of a scyther who was looking for an eevee."

I looked down. "Like I told you yesterday, that scyther knew my real name," I replied. "I think I should leave before I put you guys in worse trouble."

"He also told me," Father continued as if I hadn't spoken, "that the scyther never returned to their tribe after that incident. For now, it appears we're safe. But you have to take it easy. You'll end up killing yourself at this rate, especially with that necklace."

I looked down at Luis's tag questioningly.

"That necklace is able to transfer aura into ectoplasm," Father explained. "This gives the wearer supernatural abilities, as you saw in your battle with Mike. However, aura is life energy. Use it sparingly because each time you do, you shorten your life."

I gulped as I continued to look at Luis's inscribed name. "How do you know this?" I asked.

"I was the one who gave it to Luis, when I had named him as my successor," he answered, then smiled as he got up. "Well, you get some rest. I hope to see you at the festival tonight!"

"Bye," I replied and rested my head as he walked out the door.

"I'm sorry, Tyler, I didn't know," Jean said as I woke up in the crossroads once again.

"It's okay. Just don't get carried away like that again."

"I could say the same for you. You panicked when I was using focus energy and took over again."

"So that's what you did," I said, recalling how easy it had been to pinpoint Mike's weakness at that point.

---

Cindy did end up accepting when I gathered the courage to ask from Helen's encouragement. The local pikachu and vulpix came by to assist with light shows and roasts respectively. After joining the villagers in a prayer to Ho-oh for a good winter and fruitful spring, the lightning bolts of the pikachu lit up the skies as we enjoyed roasted fruits and nuts from the fires of the vulpix.

"Wow, what happened to Jean?" someone said as I walked by. I didn't bother looking.

"I heard he got in a fight with Michael," someone answered her. "It looks like he is bad news like everyone says."

"And Cindy of all people is dancing with him tonight," the first replied. "You'd think as the favorite to be Father's successor, she would have better options."

"Hey! He was the one who put a stop to the beedrill attacks!" I'd recognize Momo's voice anywhere.

My face was burning by the time I walked with Cindy to the clearing where jigglypuff and clefairy were singing for the villagers while playing makeshift instruments made of twigs and grass. I choked back a laugh as I watched Mike dance with a fellow pidgeot. I had never imagined him having fun.

"Oh, don't be so nervous," Cindy said, after we had started dancing. "It's hard to dance when you're stiff like that."

"I-it's not that," I stammered, struggling to stay upright on my hind legs while I held Cindy's paws in my front ones.

I heard a fit of snickering over my shoulder. "Having fun, Tyler?"

I started with surprise, falling over face first. I heard gasps around me as the music stopped and a few villagers were saying, "It's a misdreavus." and "What's she doing here?"

I looked up and indeed the ghost-type pokemon was floating over us. "I finally found you," she said with a smile.

---

**A/N:** Sorry this was so late. College was getting the best of ReLeeS and I. But I'm over the hill now and can really get down on chapter 5. I hope to have it done by the end of the week, so you can probably expect it by the 15th, depending on how ReLeeS is holding up. Thanks a lot for you continued efforts, ReLeeS!

Thanks to everyone who has commented so far. It's greatly appreciated! I'd love to hear from you guys. What you like about it, what you don't like about it, mistakes you find, anything you think I should fix, you name it. I take any criticism you have into consideration. A handful of you have subscribed, but haven't left one comment. It's your loss if you don't tell me what you want out of this fic.

Cya next time!


	5. The Whimsical Reunion

**A/N: **Sorry this was way late. Finals at college, having a hard time keeping in touch with ReLeeS, the start of baseball season at school. But here it is, finally, and a bit longer than my past chapters since I decided to cut chapter 6 in half and put the first half with this chapter. I doubt that makes up for the lateness, but enjoy anyway!

And special thanks to Ki-nee-chan who volunteered to beta for this chapter because ReLeeS was unable to. Follow the adventures of Kari and Ginyuu in her pokemon story Meika!

Quick Update: I got ReLeeS's beta this morning, so this is just updated with her fixes. Thanks for coming through again, ReLeeS!

***

**Chapter 5: The Whimsical Reunion**

***

I couldn't speak. The shock from the appearance of this misdreavus stole the words from me. I had never so much as seen one outside of a book, and this one had been looking for me? Who was she?

She sighed. "What? No hello?" she said, giggling. "Oh, just come with me."

I just stood there and looked at Cindy, who looked just as dumbfounded as I felt. She just shrugged and looked up again to see the misdreavus drifting back.

"Don't you want to know what happened to you?" she said with a sneer and drifted toward the trees.

Cindy and I gasped in unison at this and took off after her. I looked towards cindy as we quickly ran but slowly uncertainty crept onto our faces

"Who are you?" I finally asked as we followed her through the falling leaves of rich red and towering trees casting out the setting sun.

"Wow, I thought maybe you couldn't talk," the ghost-type replied and laughed. "My name is Eliza, but you can call me Lisa if it makes things easier."

"Lisa," I said. That wasn't exactly what I wanted to know.

"I'll tell you everything when we get to Father's house," Lisa answered my unasked question.

Did she just read my mind? Before I could ponder this, we presently came to the largest tree of the forest where the familiar aged noctowl stood, waiting for us.

"Father, what's going on?" I asked promptly.

"Eliza came by looking for you," Father said. "I'm curious to what this is about as well."

"It's no big secret," Lisa replied. "But Tyler probably doesn't want this whole village to know he's a human."

I started at that. So she really did know what was going on. I followed the others anxiously into the tree.

"Well, I guess I'll start off with an apology, Tyler," Lisa spoke once we were all inside. "It was I who did this to you."

I looked at her, shocked, before my expression was slowly taken over by anger.

"I'm really sorry!" she hastily added on the verge of tears. "I don't know what came over me. It just seemed funny at the time. Besides, all that time, you kept thinking about saving Jean. But Jean was already dead. I figured this would fulfill your wish." She stopped there and drifted down toward me with a bowed head, as if she were just waiting for me to hit her. I didn't know what to feel about this. So my body was stolen from me all because of a prank? But one thing kept stopping me.

"You said Jean was dead," I said. "But he's inside me, I think. There's something in my mind we call the crossroads where I can talk to him in my sleep."

Lisa looked up. "Actually, that would be your heart," she said. "Let me explain what I've done. A few of us ghost-type pokemon are able to transfer wandering souls into other bodies. Jean's soul is actually inside of you. In your weakened state from that fall you suffered while trying to save him, your body couldn't handle the merger and was forced to change into the form of the new soul inside you."

No one spoke as I just stood there, taking everything in. When the question I had been bearing these last couple days came up, I finally spoke. "Will I be able to turn back or am I stuck in Jean's body?"

"For now, you're stuck," Lisa said, and my heart jumped at that. She looked down at her neck where I noticed the signature necklace was missing. "Ho-oh was very upset with me. He took away my powers to move souls, so I can't separate you two right now."

"So… how long?" was all I could manage to respond.

"Right now, Ho-oh has his hands full. A human has taken a ghost pokemon's powers and is now turning people into pokemon for his own purposes. I doubt He'll give mine back until that matter is taken care of."

This all just went in one ear and out the other. "But my family and friends think I'm dead," I said. "I've got to get back to them as soon as possible."

"Hmm… I think we can do something about that," Father said.

---

I found myself looking into the bright blue eyes of William. Where was I? Only a little place called home, sweet home. After resting up at Cindy's house, I said my good-byes to my newfound friends from the pokemon village and returned to Violet City with Lisa. After a few days in the wilderness, the sounds of traffic and feel of concrete is a whole new experience, especially if you happen to be one-sixth of your usual size with enhanced ears.

Anyway, back to the situation at hand. William was my seven-year-old nephew. Now, I envy those of you who were born first. You didn't have to go through elementary school suffering from your older sister's pubescent problems and constant frets she wasn't cool enough for her classmates. William gripped me tightly around the torso and stroked my neck enthusiastically. How such a sweet kid could come out of the wicked witch of puberty was beyond me. I loved kids, especially Will. He looked up to me and we enjoyed being together. Being an uncle was great and I just couldn't wait until I was finally a dad.

Although, I guess I was looking up at him, now. Will, being his pokemon loving self, squealed with delight when I trotted into the front yard and I was lifted off my paws before I saw him coming. The family must've gotten together after I had gone missing. I wondered what was going on inside the house. I nodded toward Lisa, who was floating over us and she descended over Will's head.

"Hi Will, it's me, Tyler." I formed the words in my thoughts. "Can you take me into the house?"

Will's gleeful expression was overcome with shock. I took that as a sign he heard me. So Father's idea was working. He had proposed that Luis's tag and Lisa could form a type of mind link between me and anyone else. Through these mind links Father called telepathy, thoughts could be sent between two people and I could use this to communicate with humans.

"Wow, Ty!" Will suddenly said excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. "You became a pokemon? You really can do anything!"

I smiled sheepishly. "Not exactly," I continued sending my thoughts. "You see, I'm stuck in this form and I'm trying to figure out a way to become human again. But for now, you need to take me inside so I can let everyone know I'm okay."

"Okay!" Will said, nodding, and stood up to start running for the front door. I couldn't believe my luck. I was happy Will was the first one I met. Only a kid would be naïve enough to not think they were crazy because a pokemon was talking to them. Lisa drifted in behind us, invisible.

"William, what do you think you're doing bringing that stray into the house?" Nic's scolding voice greeted us the minute the door closed behind us. Nicole was my older sister by six years, Nic for short. "Look at that thing; it's filthy and got wounds all over. It's probably infected with something. Let it go right now!"

"But mom, this is Uncle Ty!" Will insisted, holding me over his head for her to take a closer look, as if that would convince her. "He told me himself. Come on, Ty, say something!"

"Will, pokemon don't talk, now let it-," she was cut off, a droopy expression coming over her face as Lisa opened her mind.

"Sis, it is me," I thought. "I'm trapped in this form for now, but I'll figure out some way to return. Until then, I just want you guys to know I'm alive."

"Come on, Ty, tell her!" Will continued. Of course, he couldn't hear me because Lisa could only open one mind at a time.

Nic held a hand to her head. "The stress must be getting to me," she said with shallow breaths but then shook her head. "Now William, dear, I told you Uncle Ty is only on a short trip and he'll be back soon, I promise." She knelt down and put her hands on his shoulders. "Now just let that poor pokemon go. I'm sure it's missing its family." How right she was on that second point.

"But, he is Uncle Ty," Will interjected.

"Please, William, your grandparents and I are busy," Nic replied. "Just go back outside."

Will frowned and bowed his head. "Alright," he said and did so.

"Hold on, sis, it is me!" I tried again but she simply shrugged it off and Lisa followed us back out.

"Why didn't you talk, Uncle Ty," Will said, placing me on the sidewalk. I nodded to Lisa again and she opened his mind.

"I did, Will, but I can only talk to one person at a time, so you couldn't hear me," I explained.

"Oh, okay," he said. "But she never said anything to you."

"It's a bit harder for adults to understand pokemon," I made a fib up on the spot. "She couldn't understand what I was telling her. Anyway, I'm going to go see a friend."

"What?" Will interrupted. "But you just got here! I want to play!"

I couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry, I'll come back," I said. "But this is very important, I have to do it. We can play all you want later."

"Okay, bye Uncle Ty!" Will said.

"Bye," I replied and Lisa left him to follow me down the street, heading toward Sarah's house. I felt nervous, wondering how she would react to my appearance considering I took Jean away from her and would now bring him back a complete mess. Not to mention he was actually me now.

Sarah and her grandma were leaning outside a window, tending to the plants resting on the sill. Her grandma saw me first.

"Sarah! Isn't that Jean?" she said, pointing at me.

Sarah jumped at that and looked down at me. Her shock was immediately overtaken by joy as she vanished from the window and reappeared a couple seconds later outside the front door of the apartment building and swept me off my feet, just as Will had done. Was everyone going to greet me this way?

"Jean! I can't believe it!" she said and she stroked my head. She looked over my body. "What happened to you? Let's get inside."

"Aren't you going to tell her?" Lisa asked, floating beside us, still invisible.

"I'm feeling a bit nervous about that," I replied telepathically. "Nic didn't take it too well and I'm not sure Sarah will either. I'm not sure what to do." Not to mention the telepathy was really starting to take its toll on me. It's as though a gaping hole had been drilled into my forehead and I had to strenuously force my thoughts through it. Yeah, that sensation tired me our fairly quick. "Besides, she just got Jean back. How could I take him away again?"

"She'll have to know eventually," Lisa said, "unless you want to spend the rest of your life as Jean."

"What's this tag?" Sarah asked, picking me up and running the chain through her fingers and looked at the inscription on the plate. "Luis?" She flipped it over, to see where I had scratched Jean's name. "Did you lose your collar and take someone else's?" She sighed as she carried me inside. "What am I going to do with you?"

Her grandma whistled as we came in. "Jean sure looks like he's been through something," she said. "Let's go wash him up."

After a quick bath, I was put into that pet bed again next to Sarah's bed. She sat down on the bed and just looked at me. "Well, at least you're back," she said. "I was worried when I came home and you were gone. I already lost Tyler. Losing you just made it worse, especially since Tyler gave himself up for you."

I felt guilty for even hearing this, making the impending fact I had to tell her the truth worse to bear. She got up and headed out of the room and I snuck off after her. With their attention taken by the dinner they were preparing, Sarah and her grandma didn't notice me walk to the front door where, just like last time, today's newspaper was discarded on the floor. I nosed through the pages to find out what was going on. I was still missing, obviously. I stopped on the sports page, where in big bold letters read the title "VCHS Heading to Goldenrod City for Regional Championship."

That's right; the wrestling finals were this weekend. When life as you know it is stripped away from you, trivial things such as your usual hobbies seem to just fly out the open window of your mind. I read through the story and found out that the one going in my place was Ben Stock. Ben was that quiet guy in the class who seems to have limitless potential and is just perfect at everything. But even with his knowledge of wrestling, he doesn't have confidence in himself and would always lose to Carlos and me. I know Ben was better than anyone, but I was a little weary about having him in such an important position with his nerves.

That night, I was squeezing through the kitchen window again. It was only after the seven-foot drop that I wondered to myself how I would get back again. Leaving a mental note to kick myself for this later, I headed off for Carlos's house.

Lisa yawned audibly. "Are you going to be getting up this early every night?" she whined.

Ignoring her, I looked up to the closed, dark window towering over me and gripped a long stick in my teeth. It weighed more than I thought and I collapsed from the imbalance as I tried to tap the window.

"What are you trying to do?" Lisa asked, watching on curiously.

I laughed a bit sheepishly. "Carlos and I would sneak out to each other's houses at night all the time," I said. "We came up with a code to let each other know who we were. I'm supposed to tap his window. 3 times, 4 times, 3 times, and 2 times. But I don't think I can lift that stick up."

Lisa giggled. "I'll do it," she offered and focused her psychic powers on the stick, which floated up and tapped the password on the glass. We waited for a few seconds and the window blinds shot up.

"That code," I heard Carlos's voice mumble as the window slowly swung open. "It couldn't be." He sleepily pulled his black curly hair from his face and looked around. His drowsy blue eyes stopped on me.

Carlos sighed and scratched his head. "Huh, I could've sworn I heard Tyler's code," he said. "Guess I'm just hallucinating." He yawned and started to close the window as Lisa opened his mind.

"Carlos, wait, it is me," I thought and his eyes widened in shock as he looked around frantically. "Down here, I'm the eevee."

He stared at me with a dumbfound expression. "Alright, joke's over," he said, grinning. "Where are you, Tyler?"

I sighed. "I'm serious," I thought. "I can send my thoughts to you through this necklace and the help of Lisa behind you."

He gave me a questioning glare and cranked his head around as Lisa materialized. He jumped and stifled a scream. "Uh, Tyler, what's going on?" he asked shakily.

"Just let me in and I'll tell you."

It was a minute or two wait, since Carlos had to sneak through the dark and avoid anything that would make noise. Soon enough, the front door opened and a brief vile gleam slashed through the doorway from the streetlight. I shook my head, passing it off as a hallucination and trotted inside, following him back to his bedroom.

"So what's up, Tyler?" he asked. "You just vanished without a trace in that fire and now you're showing up as an eevee? Or am I just going crazy?"

I laughed a rather squeaky laugh. "No, this is true," I thought as Lisa opened the mind link again and I proceeded to tell him everything that had happened.

"Wow," he said, acting like he wanted to say more but couldn't find the words.

"So what's new here?" I persisted after a bit of silence.

"If you ignore the hysteria from your disappearance, nothing really," Carlos answered, finally finding his voice. "Boy, if you ever show your face again, you're in for a load of homework."

We chuckled a bit at that. My normal life that I was missing hadn't occurred to me until now.

"Oh yeah, Ben was chosen to go to the championships with me in your place," he added.

"Yeah, I saw that in the paper," I replied telepathically. "I doubt I'll be able to return before then. We should see him tomorrow and see what we can do to help him get ready. I have a feeling he's going to choke once it's go time."

Carlos nodded.

After about a half an hour or so of talking, we snuck out of the house and walked back to Sarah's apartment where I had asked Carlos to hold me up so I could crawl back through the kitchen window.

"I'll meet you at the locker room exit after practice tomorrow," he reminded me and I nodded as the window dropped shut behind me.

"So you're going to tell her tomorrow, right?" Lisa asked as we headed back to Sarah's room. "After all, you can't just disappear on her after school again." I could sense the teasing tone in her voice.

"Sarah has 4-H after school," I answered. "I'm sure that'll give me at least an hour."

Lisa sighed disappointingly. "How long are you going to hide it?" she whined. "I just can't wait for Sarah's sweet prince to return."

I blushed under my fur while I forced myself not to react.

---

I lay on the top of the dusty lockers, snatching glances at the clock every few minutes, bored out of my mind. I decided the best time to sneak into the school would be when everyone was released. I crawled under my classmates when they rushed out of the door, and I probably would have died if I hadn't dodged their feet. Through the crowded and bustling hallways, it was easy to get through the school unnoticed with the small eevee body and here I was, hanging out in the locker room until practice was over. I never thought that meant I'd be lying around for an eternity.

"So, when are you going to tell Sarah?" Lisa asked, drifting around blissfully. "You love her, you need to tell her."

Well, company was company, right? I sighed. "I don't know," I said, taking a great interest in my paws. Maybe I didn't even want to tell her. Things were fine the way they were.

"I know you don't believe that," Lisa said.

"What?" I asked, groggily.

"Things are fine the way they are," Lisa replied and winked. "Don't think you're safe from my telekinetic powers. I can access your mind too, you know."

Great, it wasn't as if she wasn't already enough of a pest. "Just respect my privacy, okay?" I groaned.

Finally, the wrestling team poured into the locker room. I ducked down to stay out of sight and Lisa vanished. Just as planned, Carlos held Ben back until everyone else left. I leapt down to the floor and Lisa materialized again.

"You're Tyler?" Ben gasped after Carlos got done explaining and picked me up by my neck. He started shaking me like wild while shouting. "You've got to come back! I can't do this!"

Startled, Lisa quickly opened his mind.

"I'm… working… on it!" I struggled to send the thoughts. "Please… stop!"

Ben froze and dropped me, with a petrified expression painted on his face as Lisa reappeared. "What the heck just happened!" he yelled, falling over backward.

"Her name's Lisa," Carlos answered. "Somehow, she helps Tyler send his thoughts to people. He can't talk to you as a pokemon."

"Yup," I agreed, nodding. But all Ben heard was "Vee."

After Ben finally calmed down, we headed outside, Carlos making sure to keep me out of sight of teachers. I didn't think a match between a small eevee and an almost full-grown adult would be so one sided. I looked at Carlos, who shrugged, and I sighed as I started to give-in to him. If I beat him here, there was no way he'd be able to bring himself to win the tournament.

After about an hour of trying to pass on my techniques to him, Carlos and I headed back to Sarah's apartment, hoping I wasn't too late. Sarah's grandma just drove into the parking lot as Carlos ran by with me in his arms. I cursed under my breath, we just about made it. She stood up from out of the car and gave me a half-hearted grin.

"Trying to run away again, Jean?" she shouted at us.

"Yeah, I found him around the school," Carlos replied, and then hissed under his breath. "You mean they don't know?"

I shook my head as Grandma ran up to us. It was then that I noticed the distress in her eyes.

"You haven't seen Sarah, have you, Carlos?" she asked.

"No, I haven't," Carlos answered. "Why?"

Grandma sighed and shook her head. "She was walking home with some friends," she answered. "They told me she was taken by a scyther. I don't know what's going on, but Sarah's disappeared!"

***

**A/N: **Now, this is where I usually leave you with an expected release date. However, with the "success" I've had with it lately, I figured it's no good anyway. Ideally, I should be able to get a new chapter out every other week, but things just don't work out that way. So yeah, sometime in the next 2-3 weeks, I should have the next chapter up. Cya next time!


	6. The Plunging Plot

**A/N:** Here you guys go, a "bonus" chapter! By that, I just mean we got it out ridiculously early. xP

But still, we've reached part one of the climax of the first arc. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)

**Update (3/26/10)**: I've decided to try something new. You, the reader, will have the power to influence a chapter of this fic! See the bottom of this page for more details.

***

**Chapter 6: The Plunging Plot**

***

"Huh? Isn't that Jean?" I was speeding by and didn't notice two of Sarah's classmates, who decided to make their presence known by scooping me off my feet. The one who held me sighed. "What's gotten into you lately? You're always running away."

I struggled against her grip. "No! I have to find Sarah!" I yelled, but of course all they heard were variations of "eevee." Curse my stupidity for not waiting to make sure Lisa was with me. As soon as those words escaped Grandma's mouth, I was out of Carlos's arms and dashing down the road, looking all over for any sign of the scyther. I thought he would've stayed in the forest, but I guess I was wrong. Why did trouble have to follow me everywhere, anyway?

"Hey, Nikki, let Jean down! We're looking for Sarah!" I breathed a sigh of relief as Carlos came running up, Lisa in tow.

"Alright, we'll help!" Nikki replied and let me down.

Carlos nodded, smiling. "Alright, we're heading to the west side," he said. "You guys can check out the east."

I had to double check to make sure Lisa hadn't opened his mind. But she was still floating next to him. I guess he really knew what I was thinking.

"You think that's the same scyther that attacked you, right?" he said as we ran.

I simply nodded. I didn't know if I had the energy to send thoughts while running, and didn't bother finding out. I had nothing else my head couldn't say.

Soon enough, we made it to the forests outside. However, we didn't get through without a bit of a scene. Living in the small town of Violet City, everyone knew everyone, and everyone knew Carlos wasn't a pokemon trainer. Running through town with a couple of pokémon in tow awarded Carlos with some unwelcome questioning glances, but thankfully we were able to pass by unopposed.

"So, what's next?" Carlos asked, as he peered through the branches.

"I suppose we should check out the beedrill nest," I thought. "That's where I first saw the scyther."

Carlos nodded, despite the look of uncertainty on his face. I felt sorry that he felt obliged to come along. I just hoped he didn't plan on jumping in if this turned into a fight. "Lead the way," he said, snapping me out of my reverie.

---

"Oh great, it's you again," the first beedrill we came across buzzed at me with a raspy voice. "What do you want this time?"

"I'm looking for the scyther who had you attack Father's village," I answered.

"He hasn't shown his face since he helped us at the river," he answered and added angrily, "He's not here. Get out!" If he had fingers, he probably would have shot the bird.

I sighed and looked up to Carlos. Poor Carlos had no idea what we were saying. "He's not here," I told him telepathically and we walked off. I decided I'd ask around the village.

---

"Pet boy, what are you doing back already?" Cindy greeted me. She looked up and gasped. "Tyler! You can't bring humans here!"

I had forgotten about that. Of course, I was technically a human, too, so I guess that's not too surprising. "Don't worry about him, he won't doing anything," I assured hastily. "He's Carlos, my best friend. We'll be out soon. We're just wondering if any of you have seen a scyther with a human girl."

Cindy snickered. "Your girlfriend, pet boy?" she said. I guess she missed the urgency of the situation, but I couldn't stop myself from retaliating.

"It's not that!" I shouted and she laughed.

Suddenly, the laughter was gone and she was all business. "Actually yes," she said seriously. "He flew right over our village, heading southwest."

"Southwest," I repeated. "He must have a home in the Ilex Forest that he's taking her two. Do you have any idea why?"

Cindy shook her head helplessly. "I have no idea," she said. "First, he attacks you and then he kidnaps your girlfriend." She kept talking before I could snap at her again. "There seems to be something going on around you."

"Gee, doesn't that make me feel special," I replied sarcastically. "I was hoping it didn't have to do with me and this was all coincidence." Cindy shrugged.

"Um, Tyler, what's going on?" I forgot Carlos was there.

After I explained to him, conveniently not mentioning Cindy's teasing, we headed off to Father's house, taking a roundabout route to keep Carlos out of the sight of the villagers. It turned out Father and Mike were already planning to investigate this on their own.

"But why," Mike complained, as we were getting ready to take off, "do I have to take the human?"

"Because he's too heavy for Father to carry," Cindy replied. "Now take your responsibility with dignity!"

Mike groaned and motioned for Carlos to climb onto his back. Carlos looked at me and I nodded. He sighed helplessly and obliged, not having the faintest idea of what was going on. Mike glared at me with eyes that read "you owe me big time" in angry letters. I grinned sheepishly as I grabbed onto Father's shoulders and the two bird pokemon took flight when their passengers were secure.

"Good luck!" Cindy yelled after us. "And don't worry, I'll keep the village in line while you're gone, Father!"

I watched Mike mouth the words "slave driver" before the wind from Father's acceleration skyward forced my eyes shut. I was gripping so tight to hang on that I was surprised Father wasn't choking to death. I wondered how Carlos was holding up but didn't dare open my eyes. The ascent came to a merciful halt as my fur clung to me, soaked from the clouds we had just passed through. My world was swirling when I opened my eyes again.

"Doing alright over there?" I sent the inquiry to Carlos's mind as Lisa managed to keep up with us. He could only answer with a staggering nod, probably afraid of what would happen if he opened his mouth.

"You okay, Jean?" Father asked me and I managed a weak "yes."

We soared over the clouds for a couple minutes before I finally decided to ask, "Why are we up so high anyway?"

"Well," Father started, "if that scyther is indeed after you, we should stay out of his sight while we're following him. But if you're starting to feel light-headed, we'll go lower."

I relayed to Carlos who gave me a thumbs up. "That's fine," I said to Father and then directed my thoughts to Carlos again. "Oh come on, breath already!"

Carlos's lips burst apart and he took heaving breaths. "Never…again," he staggered and then nervously dug around in his pocket, hanging onto Mike's shoulder with his other hand for dear life. "Oh yeah," he said, mostly to himself, as he pulled out a cell phone. "I should probably tell everyone else what's going on."

Mike's eyes widened at this. "What?" he gasped. Of course, Carlos didn't understand Mike's sudden outburst as he groaned.

"Great, looks like it's broken from the moisture," he cursed under his breath and replaced it. I detected slight relief as Mike sighed "humans."

All in all, it was a relatively uneventful flight once we got started. I guess I drifted off to sleep because I was abruptly awoken when Father swerved sharply down.

"What was that?" I couldn't help bursting out as I tightened my grip around Father's neck.

"Hold tight, Jean, we've got trouble," he answered vaguely. I looked around frantically and soon spotted the sharp arm blade of a scyther soaring right for us. With a strong beat of his wings, Father flew over him with ease, but the scyther continued on toward Mike and Carlos.

"No!" I shouted desperately, but needlessly as Mike was fully aware. However, something was wrong. A startled look overcame Mike and he seemed to freeze in midair. The scyther must have gotten to him with a glare attack! Fortunately, his numb body dropped out of the way of the scyther's onslaught. I watched on in fear as the two of them disappeared beneath the clouds.

I didn't have long to dread on this as the scyther rebounded for another assault. With a blinding quick attack, the giant mantis rammed its torso and connected with Father's head with deadly accuracy, emphasis on deadly. I flew off the noctowl's back from the force of the impact. The water in the blanket of white heightened the sense of my skin being peeled away from my bones as I dropped like a lead weight to the ground below. It was too hard to look up to see where everyone else was, so my gaze was fixed on my impending doom below.

"Tyler!" Lisa called as she soared after me. "Use the power of that necklace and aim a shadow ball for the ground!"

I gulped and focused on the hot sensation in my mouth. I could feel the energy move from throughout my body to my lips as it took the shape of a glowing ball in front of me. I could see the grass in strikingly fine detail as I unleashed the attack. The force of the attack rebounding off the dirt tossed my helpless body to the side and I rolled to a stomach-wrenching halt.

I was shivering like mad at this point, feeling every part of my body I could reach with my stubby eevee legs. I sighed a breath of relief and, although every piece of my was roaring in agony from the fall, I fell backward and relaxed.

"Thanks, Lisa," I said through harsh breaths. "I never would have thought about nullifying the fall with a smaller one. You saved me." Well, she saved me for the most part anyway. I hadn't forgotten Father's warning about using Luis's tag. I vaguely wondered how much of my life I'd lost to it so far. However much, it sure did beat dying instantly at this moment.

Lisa gave me a weak smile, slowly beginning to get over her own nerves. I returned it and looked up. The clouds seemed so far from here and my heart kicked into hyper drive as I leapt back up.

"What about the others?" I asked, looking in all directions frantically. We were in a grassy field that was bordered by trees on one side and skyscrapers taller than I've ever seen in my life on the other. Some pidgey fluttered out of the leaves, eying me with curiosity, but I saw no sign of Carlos, Mike or Father. "Lisa, do you see them?"

"No," she answered with distress in her voice. "Maybe they're still fighting that scyther?"

"Aw! What a cute little eevee!" I heard a voice crow from behind me. From the sound of it, it sounded like a little boy. I turned around and confirmed it. His blond hair was combed neatly back and he was dressed in a shirt and tie. I couldn't even wonder what the occasion was before he picked me up and started fingering my wounds. "What happened to you? You poor little thing, I'll fix you up."

I looked to Lisa helplessly. I didn't have the energy to resist and soon fainted in his arms.

---

When I woke up, I leapt to my feet and immediately started looking around. It took a few minutes for my brain to recollect what had happened. In that time, I found myself at a foot of a double bed. Glossy white curtains hung in front of the windows, which let in just enough sunlight to light up the large room carpeted in maroon without the grand chandelier dangling from the ceiling. Stuffed animals, toys, and video game systems lined the walls in a neat and organized way.

"Where am I?" I wondered to myself aloud. "Lisa?" No answer. I took another glance around the room and saw no one. "Lisa!" I called louder.

At this, the polished oak doors opened and a kid I didn't recognize walked in, mumbling to himself. "I thought I heard something," he said and his eyes widened when he saw me. "Ah, you're awake, Eevee!" As if working on autopilot, my brain suddenly registered him as the kid who found me after I was separated from the others. That reminder made me panic again.

"My name's Jim," the boy continued as he took a seat next to me on the bed, "and this is my room. Isn't it awesome?" I absentmindedly shrugged. It was obviously any kid's dream room. "I didn't know what to call you since there are two names on your tag, so I'm just going to call you Eevee if that's alright." His pause seemed prolonged and I realized he was waiting for a response, so I simply nodded my head.

"Listen, Eevee, you've got to stay quiet, okay?" he continued. "My parents don't know about you and they don't like pets in the house." I glared at him after that. Great, the kid wanted to keep me as his pet! Jim apparently noticed my reaction and frowned. "Oh, you don't want to stay?" he asked with a hint of a whine in his voice. "I thought you'd like it here. I was hoping you would, anyway." He sighed. "It gets really boring being the only child of CEO's. I hardly ever have anyone to play with at home."

Before I knew it, I found myself rubbing my nose on his arm. Curse me for being such a sucker for people feeling down in the dumps. I was rewarded with a firm hug. And thus, the kid made a home for me out of his closet, which was filled with the last piece of apparel you'd expect to see in a child's closet. Instead of T-shirts adorned with superheroes, his choices consisted of different ties and jackets.

I found out I was in the second floor of a mansion sitting on the border of Goldenrod City, and for a couple days, I ended up losing myself in Jim's pampering. Saturday came around, as I realized one night while I was watching the streaks of light from the night rush in the streets below. My eyes stopped on a bus emblazoned with "Violet City Transport" and I remembered the wrestling tournament. My thoughts wandered to Ben and then to Carlos. My heart skipped a beat as I wondered if he and the others made it from the attack.

My dreams that night were infested with scyther and I remembered why I was here in the first place. Sarah was waiting for me, probably in danger, or already hurt, and no doubt scared out of her mind. I could hear her calling Jean's name as I slept and I realized how realistic it seemed.

My eyes slowly came into focus. It was dark and the air around me was oppressive and filled with dust, as I noticed after having a slight sneezing fit. I felt that I wasn't lying on Jim's spare pillow and that it had been replaced with a rather dirty, damp and crushed cardboard box. A hand was rubbing me on the shoulders and I looked up.

"Sarah?" I could barely make out the word in my surprise. A relieved smile creased the dirty features of her face. Lisa appeared behind her with a similar expression. "Lisa!"

"Sorry, Tyler, they caught me, too," Lisa told me, causing Sarah to jump in surprise. Apparently she hadn't realized the misdreavus was there.

"Where is here?" I asked and Sarah looked between us, puzzled.

"It's the basement of the Goldenrod Department Store," she answered. "The scyther took us all here. Well, us three, I mean. I haven't seen Carlos, Mike and Father since we were attacked in the sky."

"Um," Sarah spoke up.

I nodded to Lisa and she approached the nervous Sarah. She gasped as the ghost-type pokemon entered her mind.

"It's me, Sarah," I sent the thought and watched her look around. "I'm in Jean's body." She looked at me, confused, and I started to explain everything that had happened. She didn't retaliate or question me or anything, probably because she was too scared under the current condition we were in.

"I can't believe it," she said, breathing heavily and embraced me. "You're alive! Both of you are alive!" I could feel tears roll off her cheek onto mine.

"Yeah, we are," I replied telepathically and Lisa rematerialized from her.

"Tyler, I think I might be able to unlock that elevator," she said, motioning toward the two steel doors embedded in the wall.

I nodded. "Alright, let's get out of here."

I didn't know what she did once she passed through the elevator, but after a few heart-pounding minutes, the doors slid open with a click and we walked in. Sarah nervously pressed the 1F button on the control panel and the machine roared to life. The doors closed, we momentarily lost our balance to the floor moving under us, and then disaster struck once again.

I cursed myself for not thinking of examining the elevator first. Apparently the opposition was smarter than I gave him credit for. But then again, he had been enough of a bother already. A leak was sticking out from a hole in the wall of the elevator, conveniently placed within the wires. As soon as the elevator got going, fire began to spread from the stick all around the small elevator. Sarah couldn't help but scream and I bared my teeth as I started desperately ramming into the door with take down attacks. My head started spinning with the effort.

"Tyler!" Lisa said. I looked at her and she motioned to the leak. I nodded, realizing her idea and she focused her energy on the stick, prying it from the wall and levitating it to the door. With one final push, she mentally rammed it into the crack between them. I then gave it a couple more take downs and the stick broke through the doors, which flopped off their hinges and fell down the loft with a series of clanging noises. I leapt through the opening and clung onto the rungs the wheels of the elevator ran on and climbed up a bit. Sarah, shaking uncontrollably, managed to follow me.

Against the intense heat and the flames that had now escaped the car and were now scaling the walls toward us, we managed to climb to the first floor and Lisa forced the mechanism to open like she had in the basement. We stumbled across the floor with the fire alarm blaring in our ears, the sprinkler system raining down on us, and security rushing in with confused expressions, all of which we ignored. We came onto the parking lot, gratefully gasping in the crisp night air.

"Bravo," a malicious voice spoke and I looked up. My eyes met with the fierce black pupils of the scyther.

***

**A/N:** So yeah, this was an earlier chapter than usual. But I did have most of it done when I posted the last one. It will probably be 2-3 weeks this time again, but who knows, might come out surprisingly earlier again like this. Either way, cya next time!

**Update (3/26/10):** Well, I was actually planning to announce this in the next chapter, but eh, guess it won't hurt bringing it up now. The next chapter will be the finale of Arc 1 (I have a total of 3, maybe even 4, arcs planned for this fic). Over the last six chapters, you've been introduced to several of my characters: Tyler, Jean, Sarah, Father, Mike, Cindy, etc.

Now, this is where you come in. Do you have a favorite character? Is there something you want to see them do? A situation you want to see them in just to see how they'd react? Do you want them to interact with your own OC(s)? Well, now's your chance! I've decided to make chapter 8 a "filler" chapter that doesn't particularly have to be connected with the main plot. If you're interested, check my profile for a link to the submission thread.


	7. The One Way

**A/N:** And here it is everyone, the finale of the first arc and the between Tyler and the scyther!

***

**Chapter 7: The One Way**

***

I just stood there for the next few moments. The scyther didn't make any movement to attack, but instead simply sneered at me, seeming to indulge in the panic sweeping over my body. I looked to Lisa and she entered Sarah's mind so I could tell her to hide. I only caught a small glimpse of her fearful eyes before she obliged and went with Lisa to stand behind the trees and bushes that bordered the parking lot in organized rows. The moon's glow cast them in shadow.

"Alright," I started, trying and failing to appear brave, "what do you want?"

The scyther looked off in a random direction with thoughtful eyes. "What do I want?" he repeated. He flashed me a spine-tingling grin before answering a few seconds later. "I guess I just want you dead."

My ears perked at this and I noticeably took a couple steps back. I gulped and I couldn't keep my whole body from shaking. "Then," I stammered. "Then, why have you done all this? You let me go in the forest." I mumbled the last bit.

The scyther shrugged. "Fast deaths are no fun for the killer, you know?" he answered. "You've got to torture the prey a bit and play with their emotions to get full satisfaction. Besides, there's nothing quite like the feeling of power when you're the one pulling the strings.

"And, now!" he said sharply and took a forceful step toward me. "I suppose you're ripe for the picking. When the prey knows he's being tagged, he will give the predator the most entertaining fight. It's a shame, really. You have grown a lot over the past week in that new body." I shivered again at this. How did he know this? How did he even know who I was? I watched as he tapped his two scissor hands together with a loud clanging noise. "I was quite surprised, and actually pleased, to see you escape my elevator trap. Oh well, I suppose it's time to get rid of you before you become a real problem."

"What do you mean?" I asked shakily. "What have I done?"

The scyther laughed heartily at this. "You're thinking too highly of yourself," he said. "Yes, you're smart enough to act on your feet. That's why the Bender wants to get rid of you. You're a mistake and have no idea what you're doing. That's why he wants to erase you for good, before you pose a threat to him."

"What?" I asked, trying to make sense out of what the bug pokemon was saying.

"Well then, I believe that's all you need to know," the scyther said and closed his eyes. An angry red aura glowed around him. I gulped, recognizing it as focus energy. He snapped his eyes open and held his blades up and lunged. He was in front of me before I could even blink, but I kicked against the concrete and flew to the side before his slash attack could connect with me. "Oh-ho, so you've taught yourself to use quick attack? That body's quite nimble, eh?

"However, it won't do you any good." With that, he glared at me with red eyes. I turned my head away to avoid the glare attack, but that turned out to be a mistake as well, as the scyther rammed into me and sent me flying. I slid a couple feet across the lot and stood up, shaking dirt from my fur. By the time I looked up again, I was imprisoned in his glare, my body frozen. "Now you can't do those flashy, quick moves. Isn't that right, Tyler Young?" He slowly approached me with long, excruciating strides.

I closed my eyes, dreading what was to come. "Tyler!" I opened my eyes and looked around as best I could without moving my head, which I couldn't. "It's me, Jean! I think with your body immobile, your mental sense is momentarily heightened and that's why you can hear me right now. Listen, I have a plan. If you can withstand his next attack…"

The scyther loomed over me and I looked at him with a confident smile. He sneered. "So you think you can still fight, eh?" He held one arm to my neck and dropped to his knee so that his hot breath danced over my face. "I can cut that mug right off, so don't tempt me."

"Give me all you've got," I replied with a firm voice that surprised even me. "You wanted a good fight, so I guess I won't expect any less from you, so don't back down now."

I saw a twinkle in his eyes as he broke into hearty laughter again. "You've got some mouth," he said. "This is really one of the most fun jobs I've ever been assigned. Alright, Tyler, if you really want me-"

He was cut off by a burst of breath that escaped his lips along with a low groan. I quickly jumped back a few yards after having slammed into his stomach. "It looks like you lost your focus," I said.

"You idiot," the scyther said and I could hear him spit. Then I heard fast footsteps as he shouted, "How do you expect to fight me with your eyes closed?"

"Above," Jean said.

I felt an oncoming breeze and ducked my head just as his slash attack swung over me. I stuck my tongue out at him and I heard him growl. Just as Jean said, if I kept my eyes closed, that glare wouldn't be a problem and Jean could see for me.

"Dodge to the side!" Jean shouted frantically and I did so just as the mantis's claw clanged against the concrete.

The scyther started to laugh. I visualized a sneer on his face in my head. "Brilliant idea," he said with an obvious mocking tone in his voice. "You've figured out a way to utilize your pokemon's soul. However, it seems you can only stay on the defensive."

"Where is he?" I thought.

"Five feet ahead and to the left," Jean answered.

I nodded and launched a quick attack into his chest. I heard him gasp for breath as he fell over backward and I landed on top of him. Perfect.

"You seem to know a lot about me," I said. "Did you know I'm also a regional level wrestler?" I smiled confidently at him. "As long as I can feel the location of our bodies, I don't need to see. I just need to keep you in close range."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" the scyther replied and I flinched as I felt his arm blade cut a little into my neck. "You might want to think twice about getting too close to me."

I scowled and leapt back. He was right. A close quarter fight would be dangerous for me. I thought I had the advantage as a wrestler who was used to maneuvering my opponent's and my own body. But then again, I'd never met anyone on the mat with knives for hands.

"Now then, take this!" the scyther cried and Jean guided me to dodge. But suddenly, I was smacked in the face by the blunt side of his arm and then the other. A scratch across the check followed that and I was thrown back by an elbow lunge. I slid a few feet across the ground and groaned as I tried to get back up. "Are you sure you want more? My fury attack will only get stronger from here."

"I'm sorry, Tyler," Jean said. "He moves too fast for me to tell you where he's attacking from."

"Don't worry, it's not your fault," I answered and slowly opened my eyes. My vision was a bit blurry from my shallow breathing and weakened body. The first thing I noticed was that the parking lot was now filled to the brim with surprised spectators, frozen in shock and possibly fears of what was going to happen.

"So, I finally forced your eyes open," the scyther crowed and I looked up at him. His eyes were already glowing red. I hated the grin that spread across his face as I was once again trapped in paralysis. "It's time to finish this with my maximum power fury attack. Good bye, Tyler Young!"

All I could do was close my eyes and wait for the assault; an assault that seemed to be taking forever to come. I heard a scream of pain and a thump. Confused, I opened my eyes and the scyther was doubled over, panting. He glared over his shoulder angrily. I looked as well as there was Lisa, with a mixed expression of anger and confusion.

"Okay, Tyler," she said softly and then gulped. She shook her head and put on a confident look, before continuing in a louder voice, "Alright, I've had enough of watching. I'm going to help you, Tyler!"

I smiled at her. Then I looked at the scyther to see that he was also. "You think that because you're a ghost-type I won't be able to touch you?" he said, seeming to take in his surroundings with a smile that made my stomach roll. "It looks like the sun has completely set. The setting is perfect. Perfect for my night tactics, that is."

My eyes widened and I wondered if I was hallucinating. Even as we watched, the scyther's body slowly vanished into the darkness. "I am, after all, an assailant," he said, "and a master of disguise. The night is my ally." I jumped as Lisa cried out in pain, sent flying into a nearby tree by something I couldn't see. "Take that!" The scyther's voice spoke. "This is my perfected pursuit attack!"

"I couldn't even see him move!" I gasped aloud.

"That's right," the scyther said again from the darkness. "What good will your eyes do you now that I'm invisible?"

I looked around frantically in all directions. Trees, cars, people. No scyther. My mind was racing as fast as my heart was beating. Where was he now? Where was he going to attack from? My thoughts are interrupted by a smart smack on the back of my head that made me topple over. I quickly kicked off from the ground and lunged in the direction of the attack but only hit air. I felt my stomach leave my body as again I was attacked from behind, this time from the sharp side of his blade. I felt my back grow warm from the wound. My head was a blur as I continued scanning the area, my breaths coming out in shallow gasps.

The scyther snickered. "It looks like true fear has finally sunk in," he said. "The look in your eyes is perfect, and so attractive to the maiden of death. I will send you off to the underworld with absolute terror in your heart."

I cringed and dashed underneath a car. "That won't save you," the scyther called and with an earsplitting screech, the car was left in two pieces, clean down the middle by his slash attack. I heard a whimper from the audience, probably the owner.

"I don't think we're going to get away with that one," I said. But my attempt at humor was futile as I felt the wind whip around me and I jumped back. Whether that was another attack from the scyther or just a breeze, I didn't know. I started to wonder what I could possibly do against him now that he was invisible.

"Tyler!" Jean called. I breathed a sigh of relief. That eevee's voice was really starting to become a real life saver to me. I leapt onto a bus, trying to get out of the scyther's reach while I listened to his plan. I suddenly heard footsteps coming toward me across the roof and jumped off again.

"You can't run forever," the scyther crowed. "I'll finish-" I didn't hear the rest of whatever he had to say. He was interrupted as sirens filled the night air. "Great, looks like we've attracted a bit of attention," he said. "But don't think this saves you." He suddenly rematerialized. "Come with me."

I mouthed "get out of here" to Sarah and Lisa and followed the scyther as he broke through the ring of astonished citizens who were watching the fight. We ran before coming to the National Park, which was now empty for being closed at night, and climbed over the fences. I heard chirps from birds and insects being awoken by our entrance and noticed some large hoothoot eyes gazing down on us, illuminated in the night air.

"You really are dumb," the scyther said. "I can't believe you didn't try to escape. I'm sort of disappointed, actually. A part of me wanted this little game to continue. But nothing will stop me now. Die, Tyler Young!" With that, he vanished into the darkness again and I heard twigs snap under his feet as he approached.

"Who would run?" I replied. "I've got to pay you back for what you've done to the pokemon village, to Sarah and Lisa, to Carlos, Father, and Mike. Oh yeah, and for the scar you left on me during our first meeting."

"Vengeance won't-"

I kicked off of the ground to the side and then lunged forward, slamming right into the giant bug's chest. I only wished I could hear him gasp in shock or his confused rebuttal. I wasn't running on my sight or hearing anymore, and I was glad Jean's plan was working. He sure was a genius in battling, despite being a pet for as long as I knew him.

I was seeing my opponent in a whole new light now. As Jean had suggested, if I mentally shut out what I heard and saw, I could allow my brain to focus on scents and vibrations. I could detect where he was and what he was doing based on what I smelled and felt.

I felt him approaching again and the air pull back from his windup. His attack was coming from above. I pushed myself back and felt the tremor as his scythe struck the dirt and small vibrations as he tried to wiggle it loose. I opened my mouth and focused on the sensation of my energy gathering at the lips.

With one final shake, I could tell he finally pulled his arm out of the ground and quickly let loose my shadow ball attack. I felt him fall over, and hoped against hope it was enough and I wouldn't have to sacrifice anymore aura to win this. I probably didn't have the energy to do it anyway. I slouched over, panting.

When I didn't feel any movement in the air or ground, I decided to open my eyes again. He was lying on his back, gasping and glaring at me with a surprised expression. When he noticed me looking at him, he grinned and starting laughing.

"The Bender told me about this," he said. "How could I forget? But then again, I didn't believe you had the guts to use it. How much time do you think you've lost so far, Tyler? Ten years?"

I scowled.

"That's right, the necklace is sapping away at your life," he continued. "If you keep using it recklessly, you'll end up killing yourself anyway."

"Well," I said, my voice coming out as a croak due to exhaustion. "I've kept myself alive for today." I started walking toward him. "And now," I added, looking down at him with all the hatred in the world. He continued to scowl at me. I was angry he wasn't pleading mercy from me. I growled. "I may be going out early in the future. But you're going out now!"

His scream pierced the night air and a flutter of wings announced the take off of hundreds of startled birds. His head dropped before I finally withdrew my canines from his neck. His eyes were wide as he looked up at me. Suddenly, the boundless black pupils began to take on a shade of blue as the green scales seemed to be absorbed into human skin. Black curly hair sprouted rapidly from his head and I gasped, choking back tears.

"Where …" Carlos's voice trailed off weakly as the fear in his glance became blank.

I don't know how long I sat there on the bare chest of my best friend, which had only moments before been the torso that embodied the anger I had bottled up over the last several days. I was so confused that I lost sense of everything around me. My stomach was turning so many somersaults I was surprised it wasn't rolling out of my body and across the dirt path ahead of me.

My heart beat was painful against my chest. It felt like a ticking time bomb ready to explode. Actually, maybe that was just hopeful thinking on my part. I didn't think I could live on. The lifeless shell that lay underneath my paws seemed to have shattered the glass around my will to live. My world was crashing down around me and I was ready to leave it.

I wanted to leave, so I wouldn't have to think anymore. I didn't know what to think, but I didn't want to think of what had just happened. What I had just done. I didn't want to believe it. In fact, I started to think this was only an illusion, a trick by the scyther. Even after I had killed him, he was torturing me. I started to feel a bit happier as I wondered where the real Carlos was.

"He is," Jean said and I gasped, so surprised that someone else could possibly be in this world, "the real Carlos."

"What?" I replied, and started to shout, angry he even thought this way. "What are you saying?"

"He has the same aura as your friend," Jean said calmly. "I'm sorry, Tyler."

"No way," I said. "That can't be true." My mind was racing and I had a hard time deciphering my thoughts. "If that was true, why didn't you tell me?"

"He was different before."

"What?" I snapped with irritation.

"He had a different aura," Jean replied. "He was just like us, Tyler; a human soul and a pokemon soul in the same body. Only in his case, the pokemon was in control and I couldn't detect Carlos's dormant aura."

I didn't know what to think anymore as I took another quick glance at his face and then looked away from the sickening image. I opted not to think, but then another voice broke me out of my reverie.

"Tyler!" It was Sarah. I looked up to see her and Lisa running to us. They both gasped and held their breath when she saw us.

---

After Sarah had called the police we had been brought to a room in the pokemon center to spend the night and then she was going to be questioned. It was the next morning before I finally, begrudgingly, felt like explaining to them what had happened.

"This is what I told you about before," Lisa said after I finished my recollection. "The Bender somehow got his hands on a ghost pokemon's powers and is killing pokemon to put their souls in people's bodies. Your friend must have been one of his victims."

My mind lingered on that thought when the police had come in. They seemed reluctant to accept Sarah's tale that Carlos was indeed the scyther that had attacked her eevee in the department store parking lot last night. I couldn't blame them either. If I hadn't seen it happen with my own eyes and just so happened to be another human who was also trapped in the body of a pokemon, I wouldn't have believed it either.

We were therefore commanded to stay in Goldenrod City until the investigation was complete and we were to be under constant supervision by a police officer. It sure was convenient to be able to communicate telepathically to Sarah, who soon realized she was able to send her thoughts as well so she wouldn't have to speak either.

"So what now, Tyler?" she asked. Lisa had taken the opportunity of the officer's momentary attention on the platter in front of him as they ate at the pokemon center that night to open Sarah's mind.

"We're going to Ecruteak City," I answered with my face buried in the pokemon food at her feet. "Lisa, you know how to reach Ho-oh in Tin Tower, right? We're going to find out what's going on. I owe it to Carlos to stop the Bender."

***

**A/N:** Well, as I said in the last chapter, chapter 8 is going to be a Reader's Chapter where you, the readers, tell me what you want to see happen. There's a link in my profile to a thread with more information and for you to submit your ideas. The story will resume and begin with the second arc on chapter 9, which will probably be up in maybe a month, because of the Reader's Chapter and I am going to be revising the first arc. I won't be changing anything, but I have learned a lot in the past few months since I started writing this and feel I should bring the past chapters up to my current standards. So I hope you enjoyed the first arc and will be coming back ready for more when Arc 2 begins next month. And don't forget to contribute to the Readers' Chapter! Cya next time! :)


	8. The Readers' Chapter

**A/N:** Sorry it's been so long since the last update, my fault. `^^

Anyway, here's the readers' chapter that, if you still don't know, was written from ideas submitted by you guys. I didn't get a big turn-out, but here are the ideas that were submitted:

StarFoxFan11 wanted Sarah to be transformed.

Master Hitsugaya (from another site I'm posting this on) wanted to see more spotlight on Momo.

Storm (a contact on Yahoo) wanted me to throw some romance in.

ReLeeS gave me permission to include her characters from Seven Days as a Pokemon: Stephanie, Jennifer, Umbreon, Espeon, Flareon, Vaporeon, and Jolteon.

So I mixed that all together and came up with this chapter right now. Enjoy! xD

**Chapter 8: The Readers' Chapter**

A gentle breeze blew across the lazy landscape, the short grass of the hill flickering in its wake. It felt chilly against my face and body and I shivered a bit, my eyes starting to get a bit droopy. I was lying spread-eagled in a small field just outside of Olivine City, occasionally rolling around restlessly. My gaze shifted randomly whenever it felt like it to wild pokemon passing by, the night sky filled with bright stars illuminating the land, and to the sleeping form of Sarah Brown wrapped up in a sleeping bag beside me, her eyes closed as she rested her head peacefully against her pillow.

Sure, we were supposed to be trying to contact Ho-oh to try and return me to my real self, but sue us for wanting to have a little fun. The World Carnival was coming to Olivine City tomorrow. People from all over the world would be coming to visit the port city. Many different foreign foods and activities would be set up for anyone who wanted to participate. Sarah and I were teenagers out on own for the first time in our lives. We couldn't resist but to come here and see what it was all about. This was a big opportunity.

Well, this could've been a big opportunity. I had been watching Sarah in the background for the past few years, never having the courage to talk to her personally. Now that we've been together for a few days on our quest to the Tin Tower, I've been feeling more and more comfortable around her. This carnival would've been an excellent time to spend with her. But, I sighed and looked down at the paws that lay out in front of me. I was stuck in the body of her pet eevee. I couldn't do anything like this. I chanced another glance at her sleeping face.

"Can't sleep?"

The voice snapped me out of my slight trance. I jumped up and looked around to find Momo grinning at me from ear to ear. Of course, it wasn't just Sarah and me here. We were traveling with my newfound friends from the pokemon village as well; Cindy, Lisa, and, of course, Momo the aipom. Momo started to snicker as he plopped down next me, nudging an elbow into my side.

"You love her, don't you?" he asked.

"What?" I snapped back. Momo erupted at that and I sighed, sitting back down. "Yeah, I just don't know what to do. I never really talked to her before and I just really want to take this chance tomorrow. But, what can I do while I'm still like this?" I groaned and shook my head. "We should've gone straight to Ho-oh."

Momo frowned and patted me on the back. "Aw, get over all this sappy stuff," he said and his face broke into a smile again. "It's no fun. Besides, I know what you can do. You know about miltank milk, right?"

I looked at him with a confused expression. "What about it?"

"Well, you see, it has a special power for pokemon and it might work on you while you're in that eevee body," Momo answered. "However, it only works when the moon is…" He paused and looked up at the sky. "…waxing," he continued. "If you milk a miltank and drink the milk right away, it's said you'll be granted any one wish instantly."

I rose an eyebrow at this, unable to not be interested. "Really?"

"Yeah," Momo replied. "You're in luck too, I saw a miltank farm not far from here." He pointed in a direction and I shrugged, getting up and following him. Just over a hill we soon saw fences appearing in the distance as well as a large white barn and farmhouse. A few of the cow pokemon were roaming around the pen grazing and mooing, their voices riding on the late night breezes.

"Alright," Momo said and I could hear his snickers under his breath. "That one looks good." He pointed at the nearest miltank that had its back turned to us, blissfully unaware as it ate away at the grass at its feet.

"Okay then," I replied, starting to feel unsure about this as we crawled under the wood boards that made up the fence. "So, what was I supposed to do again?" I asked nervously once we were standing on either side of it.

"I'll do it," Momo said. "Just get your mouth down there and catch some of the milk." I felt awkward as I shrugged and lie belly-up under the miltank with my mouth gaping. Momo leapt up and grabbed an utter, pulling it back down and sending a squirt of milk right into my face.

I leapt back in shock, rubbing my eyes, as the ground around me started to shake. The miltank we were with was crying in pain and the others started to glare daggers at us. I gulped and Momo spoke my thoughts.

"Let's get out of here!" he shouted and we dove for the fence, running toward the forest that bordered the farm once we were safely on the other side.

Or so we thought. With a round of earsplitting cracks, we turned around to see the fence shattered to pieces and the small herd of miltank charging right toward us. We quickly about faced and ran for the woods. Momo leapt into the branches and I took a sharp turn off the path, hiding under a bush. The ground quaked violently as the herd rushed past us, losing sight of its query. I sighed a breath of relief as I crawled out of the foliage and Momo fell back down to my side.

"You idiot," I said, gasping for breath and leaning against the nearest tree with my eyes closed. "I am never listening to any of your ideas again." When I didn't hear a retort, I opened my eyes and looked around for the aipom, finding him standing at the edge of the meadow, bathed in moonlight. His head was looking upward and his hands were folded, as if in prayer.

"I wish Sarah Brown would become a pokemon," he stated slowly, "for my friend Tyler Young to be with."

My eyes widened and I bounded toward him, tackling him to the ground. He glared at me, his eyes changing from the initial shock to anger. "What are you doing?" I shouted at him, despite our faces nearly touching.

"You drank the milk, right?" he replied.

I backed up a bit, breathing heavily. "Yes," I answered as the bitter taste of untreated milk was still lingering on my tongue.

"Well, I made your wish for you," Momo said with a wide grin.

I couldn't hold myself back. I slapped him across the face and dashed off toward our campsite. Momo had said the wish was granted instantly. My mind was racing, thoughts of what I would find rolled up in Sarah's sleeping bag mixing with my anger toward Momo for doing something so stupid.

My breathing slowed down when I noticed her human head still poking out on the pillow. Momo walked up behind me, the sound of his footsteps startling me a bit. "It was a joke, you jerk," he said, rubbing his cheek where I had hit him. "Miltank milk doesn't grant wishes, it just gives pokemon more energy. I just wanted to have some fun and then you had to get all riled up about it."

"It was your fault," I grumbled under my breath.

We decided to let bygones be bygones after that and left each other alone. I continued to just lie there and stare at the sky impatiently, chancing glances every now and then at Sarah. Momo had said he made it all up, and I hoped he was right, but I just couldn't rest easily after that incident. Even after I finally fell asleep and was woken the next morning by the crows of spearow passing by, I felt anxious and jumpy, constantly looking back at Sarah who was, I was relieved to find out when I awoke, still human.

As a group, we had decided to pack up early and head into town for breakfast. I managed to help Sarah tie up her sleeping bag by gripping the straps in my mouth while she held it together. I was feeling terribly moody during the process due to the lack of sleep and Sarah must've noticed because she prompted to carry me in her arms as we went into the city. I couldn't help but gaze at Momo the whole way.

I started to feel drowsy as I looked down toward the sea, its waves lapping up against the stone docks. We were looking out from on top of the beacon of Olivine City that was its lighthouse, the first stop of our self-guided tour of the city. The cool breeze blowing gently into my face was very refreshing and started to alleviate my worry over Momo. That was, until Momo decided to be stupid and tried to perform some spinning stunt with his tail on the rail, almost falling to his death, thus brining my attention back to him. Luckily, he was rescued by Lisa's confusion attack.

"Hey, look!" he called as he was being lifted back up to the top of the lighthouse. Lisa, Sarah and I all did in unison, Lisa being momentarily distracted having to refocus her confusion because of this, and saw that a ship was docking just below us. A girl was walking off the dock with an eevee in her arms and five more pokemon behind her: an espeon, umbreon, vaporeon, flareon, and jolteon.

"What about it?" I replied with a sigh. "It's the world festival, of course there's going to be international visitors coming by boat."

"No, it's not that," Momo said, now safely perched on the rail by Lisa and scratching his chin, deep in thought. "I'm sensing something strange."

"He's right," Jean spoke from within me. "I can feel a soul that doesn't match its body."

"What do you mean?" I thought.

"A soul whose physical attributes have been changed," Jean answered.

"Wait, you don't mean…" I started, but was interrupted by Lisa.

"I see we think alike, Jean," her thoughts came in and I looked at her to see her nod at me. "I agree. It's definitely a human soul in a pokemon body."

"It couldn't be another one, could it?" I replied mentally, reliving the withdrawing scales revealing the face of my best friend in my mind's eye as clearly as if it were indeed happening again right in front of me. "Not again. Not now."

"What's wrong, Tyler?" Momo interjected and I looked up him, his face actually showing genuine concern. "You look upset."

I looked back up to Lisa and sent the thought, "He doesn't need to know," and turned back to answer with a forced smile, "It's nothing. I'm fine."

After the tour of the lighthouse, we headed out onto the heavily crowded streets. Booths were dotting the town in all directions, selling food, souvenirs, and even hosting a few carnival games. The fact I wasn't human that had been dawning on me last night was forgotten as I went with Sarah to her choice of booths. After stops at archery, bottle toss, and basketball free throw, we walked down the road, her carrying an assortment of plushies up to her neck and me trying to balance whatever she couldn't carry on my back.

"You were great back there," I said as Lisa opened the mind link after a few moments of silence, except for the chatter of the crowd in the background.

"Thanks," Sarah answered with a smile. "It was fun, and thanks for helping me here." With a laugh, she added, "I guess I got carried away."

I grinned. "Don't worry about it." But even as I said that, I lost my balance and toppled over, dolls falling all around me.

"Let me help you with that," a female's voice spoke up. When I realized I wasn't being pelted with prizes like I was expecting, I looked up to see they were being suspended in midair by a purple light. I looked in front of me to see an espeon concentrating her energy on them. "If you'd like, I could teleport them to your house for you. Where do you live?"

I heard a scoff behind her and an umbreon walked up. "I wouldn't do it if I were you," he said. "Knowing Espeon, they'll end up in the middle of the Sierra Desert."

"I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, thank you, Umbreon," Espeon responded, glaring at her companion.

"Wait a second," Sarah spoke up and I looked up to see the look of shock on her face. "How are you two speaking?"

The two pokemon stopped bickering at this and looked up to her as well.

"Oh, sorry, we forgot to introduce ourselves," the espeon said. "We're Espeon and Umbreon from an island called Cyprus. Perhaps you've heard of it?" She waited a bit while Sarah considered this. "Well, it's not exactly a pokemon-friendly place. Humans have basically shut us out from the rest of the world. As a result, we learn English instead of our own language as we grow up."

Sarah gasped. "That's terrible!" she said. I had the feeling she would've dropped down and hugged Espeon if her arms weren't full.

"Well, we're working at it," said another voice and we looked up to see the girl we had watched departing the ship. The eevee was still in her arms and the flareon, vaporeon, and jolteon trailed behind her. "Hi, I'm Stephanie," she said with a smile.

"And I'm Jennifer!" the eevee added. Lisa jumped back as she looked at Jenn and I felt a thump in my chest.

"Tyler, she's the one we felt before," Jean said. "She's a human!"

"Hi," Sarah replied with a bit of a stammer. She probably felt awkward understanding the pokemon around Stephanie. "My name's Sarah."

As the rest of the eevee family introduced themselves, who all went by their specie name as well, Stephanie smiled as she glanced at the pokemon around Sarah. "I see you love Pokemon, too," she said. "That's great! If only you lived with us back on Cyprus. You'd probably be a great member of the PAP!" She put Jennifer on the ground and walked over to explain about the Protection Agency of Pokemon to Sarah.

I walked over to Jennifer while the rest of the eevee family started to talk with Momo and Lisa. "Hey," I said simply, failing to keep a tone of loathing out of my voice. "You're with the Bender, right? What do you want?"

Jennifer raised an eyebrow at this, staring at me oddly. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Come off it, I know you're human and you know who I am," I replied. I was about to go on but Jean decided to interrupt.

"Hold on, Tyler," he said. "This is different. It's not that her soul is in the body of a pokemon. She's in her own body. She was somehow actually transformed into a pokemon."

"Hello, are you there?" I suddenly heard Jennifer say and snapped back to the real world and continued with annoyance in her voice, "I don't know what kind of special you think you are, but I don't know you and I have no idea what this bender thing is."

"How were you transformed into a pokemon?" I asked.

Jennifer glared at me. "How did you know that, anyway?" she said. "Are you related to Espeon or something?" When I gave her a quizzical look, she explained to me that she had been turned into an eevee by Espeon's psychic powers to teach her to respect pokemon.

"Don't do it, Espeon," Umbreon suddenly shouted, causing us to look over at the group of eevee evolutions huddled in a circle. "Our hands are full enough as it is."

"Oh, but it could be fun, Umbreon," Flareon spoke up with her squeaky voice. "What do you think, Vaporeon?"

"I don't see why not," the water pokemon replied. "It's only for a day."

"Just do it," Jolteon piped in and Umbreon sighed.

"What are they talking about?" I asked as Stephanie and Sarah got up from the bench they were sitting on and started walking down the road. I decided they must have been heading for the rollercoaster that had been built on the pier for the carnival and stretched over the sea.

"I don't know," Jennifer replied. "But you still haven't answered my question." I turned my attention back to her and told her how I now shared my body with Jean's soul and had become an eevee through the process and how Jean could sense the souls in people and pokemon. Before Jennifer could respond, Umbreon walked up to us.

"Hey you two, let's get going," he said and glanced at Jenn. "We especially don't want to lose you here, Jennifer." She rolled her eyes and joined them. Momo, Lisa and I joined in as well. Espeon stayed behind to teleport the stack of plushies Sarah left behind and caught up with me at the end of the group.

"Sarah told us what's happened to you," she said. "It sounds like times are quite tough for you right now. Did Jennifer fill you in?"

"Yeah," I replied. "Too bad things aren't as simple for me. We're on our way to the Tin Tower to meet Ho-oh. Hopefully that will be all there is to it."

"I wish you luck," Espeon said.

As we walked down the street, I suddenly heard crying. The voice sounded familiar and my thoughts instantly fell on Sarah. I looked over to my side and saw an eevee rolled up against a wall, its back rising and falling with each sniffle. Without thinking, I walked over to it. The eevee's ears perked up and it rolled over to look at me with bright blue eyes.

"Tyler?" the eevee stammered in the voice I knew too well.

I lost my mind as I looked at Sarah sitting in front of me with tear streaks glistening in the brown fur that now covered her face. Anger rapidly filled me and I bounded toward the group still walking on. I roared the aipom's name at the top of my lungs and tackled him to the ground before he could even turn around.

"You told me it wasn't true!" I shouted into his face. "Dang it, Momo, your wish turned Sarah into an eevee!"

The aipom's face seemed to twist between emotions. He seemed to try to display shock and confusion, but couldn't stop himself from exploding in laughter. "Have fun with her, Tyler!" he said and I gave him a questioning glance. Espeon walked up to us with a pitiful smile on her mouth and Sarah ran up beside her.

"Sorry, Tyler, I couldn't help it," she said with an almost uncharacteristic giggle. "Momo told me what happened last night. You want to spend the carnival with Sarah, so he talked me into helping you out." She winked at me and I glared at her angrily, causing her to quickly amend, "Don't worry, it's only for today. She'll be back to normal in the morning."

"It's alright, Tyler," Sarah said and smiled at me. "That was only an act. I was in on the joke and agreed to it." She walked up to me and nudged me with her nose. "Come on! Let's go see the rest of the carnival!"

"Be careful and meet up with us at the dock after the fireworks show tonight," Espeon interjected.

"Yeah, like that's going to stop anything from happening," Umbreon said, walking up to Espeon's side. "Trouble always manages to find us in some way or another. It must be karma for messing with people's forms like this, Espeon." The psychic pokemon rolled her eyes at him and grinned sheepishly.

I felt a bit suspicious about the whole thing but quickly got over it. Sarah really seemed to be enjoying herself, appreciating her enhanced senses and commenting on things such as the scent of the sea. Stephanie tagged along and paid our way into games such as the maze of the mirrors that turned out a bit easier than I remembered as a kid, mostly thanks to Jean who helped me spot where the different paths were. Sarah wasn't as lucky and I ended up having to backtrack and help her through. The afternoon went on with different shows being performed along the streets. Sarah had her brief minute of stardom when she went up to a karaoke booth. Stephanie showed up soon enough though and pulled her out, running out of there with both of us in her arms to avoid the crowd inquiring about the singing pokemon. The sky was becoming orange with the late evening and the ground started to shake while we walked out of the karaoke booth.

We were met with screams and people scrambling in every direction. My eyes widened as I noticed the miltank roaming around among the crowd, helping themselves to the food stands, the owners helpless to stop them. I made a mental note to seriously beat Momo up for his joke when this was all over and then jumped as a stream of fire shot through the sky. It was joined by streaks of lightning and jets of water. A flash of lavender shot right by us, causing the miltank nearby to scatter.

"Hey watch it, Espeon!" We jumped and looked to see Umbreon jump out from behind a pile of crates that shattered to pieces from the attack. He noticed us and came over. "Ah, there you are. I've been looking all over for you guys. The miltank from the local farm escaped last night and so here we are. Everyone else is trying to round them up, but we still haven't found Jennifer." He scowled under his breath, "Curse it if we don't find her."

A loud scoff startled us and we saw the eevee walking down the deserted street toward us. "I don't need a babysitter, Umbreon," Jennifer said. "Anyway, we should help them out. Come on, Tyler, Sarah!" Sarah and I nodded while Umbreon groaned and Jenn glared at him. "Do it or I won't let you sleep peacefully again, Umbreon!" she declared, baring her teeth maliciously and then sneered. "Or are you too much of a wimp for these guys?"

Umbreon snorted. "Shut it, you little eevee," he said. "I don't take orders from you." The ground started to shake again. Startled, he yipped and leapt out of the way as a miltank bounded past them in a roll out. He glared at Jennifer and then shot down the street toward it, becoming split images of himself in a faint attack to help him gather the cow pokemon.

Jennifer took off in another direction and we followed her until we found a group of miltank bunched up in an alleyway, apparently hiding from the ruckus throughout the town. "We need to get them to the north side of town," she said and, just as Umbreon had, split into a couple more copies of herself.

"Wait a second, we can't do that!" I called after her.

"You haven't learned double team yet, huh?" Jennifer replied, her original self stopping as her doppelgangers continued charging for the miltank and growling at them. The frightened pokemon ran down the alleyway but the extra eevee started to fade. Jennifer gasped as they finally disappeared. "It's hard to keep that up," she said. "I've been paying attention to how Umbreon does it but it takes a lot out of you."

I was reminded of the tag dangling from my necklace and then looked up at Lisa. "Wait, I've got an idea," I said. "Follow me!"

While the rest of the eevee family sorted out the mess of miltank around the town, we headed to the main street where a large group was charging down. We spread out in front of them a few blocks away and I nodded toward Lisa. She nodded back and closed her eyes. She lurched forward a bit and lashed her eyes back open, performing a scary face attack over us. As the miltank approached, they started to slow, fear creeping on to their faces.

I smirked, the plan was for Lisa to cast an illusion on them to make us seem gigantic to them and it must have been working. I took a step forward and the miltank came to a halt, except for a few in the front who must have been feeling pretty confident. I gulped as we wouldn't stand a chance against them in a real battle. I glanced down at Luis's necklace, although that route wasn't exactly the one I wanted to take.

"Woah, what are you guys doing?" The shout surprised me and I looked out to see Momo passing by the herd and tossing what looked like a small colorful roll of paper in his hand. He ran up into the range of Lisa's scare face attack and turned on the miltank, flexing and growling at them. Even the ones who were still charging stopped in their tracks. Momo laughed. "This is great!"

I let a grin form on my face at this. "Keep it up, Momo!" I said. "Get them to head back north."

Momo grinned at me, showing me the roll of paper. "Wait, check this out," he said and turned back to the miltank, continuing in a deeper, louder voice, "Fear me, miltank, for I, Momo, command fire!" He pulled a tab on the roll, causing it to unfurl and spark at the end in a bright light. He dropped it to the ground, the illusion making the toy sparkler tower over the miltank. The air filled with the pokemon's cries as they turned around and ran down the street.

Umbreon and Espeon dashed after them from a side street, both laughing their heads off. "Way to go, Momo!" Espeon called back. "We'll take it from here."

Lisa breathed a sigh of relief as she stopped her attack. "That was exhausting," she said and slumped toward the ground near me. "Can we go to bed now?"

Once the festival authorities and the farm owners ushered the miltank out of the city, the eevee family having made it easier for them by gathering them at the north end of town, everyone started to gather on the beach. Stephanie pulled a large blanket out of her bag that we managed to situate ourselves on. The eevee evolutions lied down around Stephanie with Jennifer on her lap while Lisa, Sarah, Momo and I sat down at her feet.

Lisa was already asleep to my right while Sarah yawned at my left. "I think being a pokemon is starting to really take it out of me," she said. "It's so different. " He turned to look at me. "You made it seem natural, but I guess you had already been a pokemon for a week before you came back."

I considered this for a moment. "I didn't really think about it," I said. "I was too preoccupied with trying to find a way to return to normal." I laughed. "You get to enjoy the experience because you know you'll be back tomorrow." I stopped there and looked up at the few stars that were starting to appear in the night sky. "But oh well, at least I get to enjoy it with you right now." I felt my cheeks blush as I said it before I could stop myself.

Sarah didn't seem to notice, rubbing her head against me. "You're right," she said. "Today was fun."

I heard snickering and looked behind me. Momo gave me a thumbs-up. Espeon winked at me. Flareon, Vaporeon and Jolteon were smiling and Umbreon was making an obvious effort to look away. Conveniently, the sky lit up with the first of the fireworks. Sarah rested her head against me as she looked up. I did the same and smirked. I'd have to thank them all later for granting my wish.

**A/N:** So yeah, just a reminder that this isn't directly connected with the storyline, although it does refer to it. When the story continues next chapter, Tyler and co. are still under lockdown in Goldenrod City. Next chapter should be up in about 2-3 weeks, like usual. Right now I'm working on my GSC novelization and want to finish the first chapter of that before I continue this. With that said, cya next time!


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